Antique Candlesticks

A candlestick is a small object but a conspicuous one: it rarely stands alone and almost always works as a pair, or in company with a mirror, a clock, a vase. This section gathers table and mantel candlesticks and candelabra in bronze, brass and silver, as well as crystal and porcelain examples.

When choosing, look at stability and the weight of the base — a light stick with a tall candle tips more easily than you would expect. The second thing to check is the state of the wax pans: these are cleaned most often, which leaves the metal there thinner and brighter than elsewhere.

Pairing deserves separate attention. A pair is always worth more than two single pieces of the same kind, and sellers state this in the description — but if a listing shows only one photograph, confirm how many pieces the lot contains.

Height is given in each listing and determines which candles will suit in proportion.