Victorian Silver Plated Candelabra
These Victorian silver plated candelabra are dining table centrepieces and branched light fittings designed for formal nineteenth-century entertaining.
Victorian Silver Plated Candelabra
When you search for victorian silver plated candelabra, you encounter branched lighting designed to hold multiple candles, often accompanied by convertible candlesticks or centrepiece dishes. These objects originate across the nineteenth century, particularly spanning the decades from the eighteen-fifties through to eighteen-ninety.
The forms vary from three-light and four-light branches up to five-branch and six-light dining table centrepieces. Certain examples incorporate detachable sconces, palm tree dishes, cherub figural motifs, lyre shapes, and floral finials.
The selection includes pairs and single pieces, taking the form of traditional candelabras as well as candlesticks that accept multi-light attachments. Most items adhere to the Victorian aesthetic, while others draw on neoclassical revival and rococo revival styles.
How they were made
The foundation metals beneath the surface plating typically comprise nickel silver, copper, brass, or standard metal alloys, often marked as electroplated nickel silver or EPNS. Manufacturers applied silver via early plating techniques, including Sheffield plating methods and later electroplating processes.
Casting and chasing created the ornate figural details, such as cherubs, floral finials, and lyres, which were assembled alongside turned shafts and branches. Detachable components like sconces and centrepiece dishes allowed functional versatility during dining service.
Several Victorian candelabra enlist mischievous little cherubs to hold up the heavy branching lights for your dinner party.
What varies in quality
Quality separates through the crispness of cast ornamentation and the structural weight of the piece, particularly evident in large multi-light table centrepieces and figural groups. Heavier metal gauge and intricate hand-chased detail distinguish finer examples from standard production.
The preservation of the underlying silver plate over nickel silver, copper, or brass dictates the visual integrity of the surface. Maker attribution to notable workshops also influences distinction among similar nineteenth-century designs.
Hawksworth Eyre·Garrard & Co·Smith & Sissons & Co·Clarke·Elkington·Tiffany & Co
The Victorian Silver Plated Candelabra Glossary
- Candelabra
- A branched candlestick holder designed to support multiple candles simultaneously. These items often feature removable upper branches that convert the piece into a standard single candlestick.
- Electroplated Nickel Silver
- A base metal alloy of copper, nickel, and zinc coated with a layer of silver via an electrical process. This material became widespread in nineteenth-century manufacturing as an alternative to solid silver.
- Sheffield Plate
- An early method of fusing a thin sheet of silver to a thicker copper core before shaping the metal. Pieces produced this way display a characteristic copper show-through where wear occurs.
- Sconce
- The nozzle or cup at the top of a branch that holds the base of the candle. Detachable versions allowed easier cleaning of wax residue after dining.
- Centrepiece
- A large decorative table ornament, frequently incorporating candelabra branches and dishes for fruit or floral arrangements. These formed the focal point of Victorian dining room decoration.
Victorian Silver Plated Candelabra: Frequently Asked Questions
How many lights do these candelabra typically have?
The pieces commonly hold three, four, or five lights arranged across branching arms. Larger dining table centrepieces occasionally extend to six lights.
Detachable sconces and central finials often alter the configuration depending on the arrangement required.
What materials lie beneath the silver surface?
The underlying metal typically consists of electroplated nickel silver, copper, brass, or standard white metal alloys. Manufacturers utilised these base metals to achieve structural rigidity and lower cost compared to solid silver.
Over time, wear on the exterior layer can reveal the base metal underneath, particularly on copper-rich Sheffield plate.
How do I care for silver plated lighting?
Dust the piece gently with a soft, dry cloth to prevent the accumulation of dirt within the cast ornamentation and figural details. Avoid abrasive cleaners or excessive rubbing that might wear through the thin silver layer.
Use dedicated silver polishes sparingly and only when necessary to maintain the surface finish without damaging the underlying plate.