Sunday 16 January 2011

Candlestick - circa 1680 (elements of)




I had to show you my latest purchase at auction last week - this candlestick. I'm having it checked out by an expert friend of mine, but I think that it is a 17th century, turned brass stick on an early 18th century, spun base. The base is huge - about 8 inches in diameter, and the whole thing is 9 inches high. What a fantastic centre-piece to a table when there is a few people round for dinner.

I start off acquiring these things to sell on again (I didn't pay too much for it), but then I sort of fall in love with them and feel I need to keep them. I seem to be getting acquisitive in my old age - I was never like that as a youth.

So now, I cannot bear the idea of putting smelly paraffin-wax candles into it, and I also don't want to buy the refined bees-wax ones from a church supplier, so I have just ordered a kilo of pure bees-wax from a bee-keeper in Cheshire, and I am going to make my own candles. This involves making my own wicks too, as I don't want to put any old string in them. Then I will have something to look at which is about 350 years old, as I drink from my 250 year old glasses.

Am I going mad?

18 comments:

  1. I toyed with keeping bees a year or so ago and did an 8 week bee keeping course

    still have not got around to them... but I may well get some local keepers to put up a hive here.....

    I love antique hunting...we have not done it for an age!

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  2. Oh yes John! Bees would really suit you. I just cannot wait for the videos of you, covered in a white net, running across the garden being chased by about 50,000 bees, a psychotic turkey and a police helicopter.

    With a scenario like that, how could they refuse you your own series on the telly?

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  3. That's a beautiful candlestick Tom...I'd have a hard time parting with it to.
    As for you going mad...perhaps, but does it really matter?

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  4. I tried making candles once in grade school from crayons. Burnt the kitchen down!

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  5. What on earth makes you imagine that those of us in the antiques business are sane? Hahahahahaha....

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  6. I forgot to mention the dozens of other assorted fowl and the incontinent boxer.

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  7. That's a beautifully simple piece. I'd keep it too. Will you be starting your master candle-making blog soon?

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  8. I would keep it. Have I mentioned before that as a former mental health nurse normal people scare me? Madness is fascinating.

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  9. I might if Groucho does a masterclass on how to burn down houses with non-toxic crayons, Mise.

    WHADAYA MEAN NORMAL PEOPLE?????????

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  10. I will never tell except there is no normal. I actually detested that part of my nursing life and was not told I would work in that area when I took the job but trudged ahead and did it any way. It was one of the reasons to retire at age 45.

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  11. That's also one of the reasons why I will still be working when I am 75, Olive.

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  12. Tom, I do think it is a gorgeous piece. I am wondering why you think it is from 2 centuries and how do you tell the age of something like this?

    Beeswax candles will suit it beautifully. I have made beeswax candles before, but never ambitious enough to make my own wicks.

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  13. Tom,
    Will you be using molds or the multiple dip method to make your candles? - G

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  14. I used to make candles from the discarded red wax around Edam cheese; OK for silver but not for brass.

    The yellow of most bees wax candles is just colouring. Do make sure yours is 'organic' off-white. Lovely candle stick.

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  15. Raz - if you compare it to loads of other brass sticks that are around, you will see various things that can be referred to to date it. The spun base is typical 1710-1720 in design and manufacture, and has the right sort of patina, along with some code numbers etched into it (which you cannot see in this pic, obviously) in the sort of script you would expect from that time. It also has a much higher copper content than the stem, but maybe this is to make it more malleable for the spinning process, which is done by hand on a lathe. The stick is cast brass which has been turned to refine the shape, and has a nice early, 'inverted baluster' shape to it. It has also had a crude thread cut into it's base, to fit it to the large foot. I understand that it was quite common to put together various elements from old, damaged candle sticks just to keep them useful - bear in mind this was a utilitarian form of lighting in those days. Above all, it just 'feels' and looks right for the age. Place it next to a Victorian brass stick, and the differences would be strikingly obvious.

    I haven't decided between dipping and casting yet, Gary - I'd rather cast them, if I can make the right mould for it! There is a street here in Bath called 'Ainslie's Belvedere' - Ainslie made his fortune by supplying Bath with candles in the 18th C.!

    As far as I know, this wax has just been melted down and strained by the bee-keeper, Cro.

    I'll put up a couple more photos of it dismantled, Raz.

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  16. Mad? Yes, you are. And I love it.

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  17. I can't write anything serious I'm still reeling with laughter at the thought of John covered in a white net, running across the garden being chased by about 50,000 bees, a psychotic turkey and a police helicopter....
    my sides are now hurting!!!

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  18. Yes, it is a beauty. I'd keep it for a while, enjoy it and then I'd decided whether to sell it or not. xx

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