Tall Silver Candle Stands
Tall silver candle stands bring height and presence to a room, spanning carved wood altars and sterling columns.
Tall Silver Candle Stands
Wooden forms coated in silver leaf or gesso appear alongside solid sterling silver and silver-plated metal. You are most likely to meet pairs dating from the eighteenth century up through the mid-twentieth century.
The styles shift from ornate Italian Baroque and Rococo Revival curves to the structured lines of Neoclassical columns and Arts and Crafts copper work. These heights and silhouettes served both domestic display and ceremonial use.
How they were made
Maker construction relies on carved wood surfaces finished with silver leaf or gesso, creating lightweight yet substantial bodies. Metal examples utilise silver plate, copper, and sterling silver, sometimes housing wooden cores for stability.
Decorative details emerge through hand carving on wooden torcheres and altar candlesticks, alongside classical column moulding on metal and silver-plated pairs.
Some tall stands spent centuries holding church candles before retiring to light up nineteenth-century drawing rooms.
What varies in quality
Quality rests in the depth of hand carving on wooden stands and the crispness of classical detailing on silver columns. The integrity of the underlying material, whether solid sterling or heavy silver plating over copper or base metal, dictates longevity.
Artisanal execution distinguishes mass production from bespoke workshop output, particularly visible in Arts and Crafts copper and silver combinations or Italian silvered altar pieces.
Barker Ellis·Birmingham Guild of Handicraft
The Tall Silver Candle Stands Glossary
- Torchere
- A tall stand designed to carry a candle or lamp. These elevated pieces often feature carved wooden shafts.
- Pricket
- A sharp metal spike on a candlestick designed to secure a candle. This form is common on older altar pieces.
- Silver Leaf
- Extremely thin sheets of silver applied to a prepared surface such as wood or gesso. This technique gives the appearance of solid silver without the weight.
- Corinthian Column
- A classical column style featuring ornate acanthus leaves on the capital. This design appears frequently on twentieth-century candlesticks.
- Gesso
- A plaster-like mixture applied to wood as a base for gilding or silvering. It provides a smooth surface for finishing.
Tall Silver Candle Stands: Frequently Asked Questions
How tall are these candle stands?
Heights vary considerably across the selection, ranging from standard table candlesticks to large floor-standing torcheres.
Specific dimensions depend on whether the piece was made for domestic dining or church altar use.
What is the difference between silver plate and sterling?
Sterling silver consists of solid precious metal throughout, marked by hallmarks indicating its purity.
Silver plate involves a thin layer of silver bonded to a base metal such as copper or other alloys.
How do I care for wooden silver leaf pieces?
Wooden pieces finished with silver leaf require gentle dusting with a soft, dry cloth.
Avoid liquid cleaners and polishes, which can strip the delicate metallic leaf from the gesso or wood underneath.
Where were torcheres originally placed?
Torcheres typically stood in corners or beside furniture to provide supplementary lighting in large rooms.
In ecclesiastical settings, similar tall stands flanked altars for ceremonial illumination.