Tuesday 22 February 2011

Candles, candles


My expensive book has arrived.

Here (above) are three of the six candlesticks I have bought in the last few weeks, the far right one being the latest, which arrived (separately) with the book today.

A quick perusal seems to confirm my initial thoughts, that the middle (or part thereof) stick is 17th century (not sure which part of the 17th C. yet, but somewhere between 1650 and 1680 maybe), and the other two are about 1710 - 1720. It is my intention to have about 20 or 30 more within a year or so, then have a flipping great sale of them - having had a bright Christmas with several of them and beeswax candles.
It's a wonderful book and - like the candlesticks and Georgian glasses - goes well with the other books about the glasses which would have usually been used in the soft light spread by sticks like these.

I am going to get some taper sticks as soon as I can, to light my clay pipe and put a wax seal on the bottom of posts like these, so that you know it came from me and has been viewed by none other than you.



8 comments:

  1. Not only do I love this type of elegant candlestick, I also love candlelight. On a recent rainy afternoon I was shocked to see a very attractive pair of solid silver sticks knocked down on 'Flog It' for some very silly price. They were early 20th C copies of an 18th C design... but even so, for under £100 they were a gift. The real things would have been about 7 times the price.

    The middle one, above, gets my vote. I love that wide foot!

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  2. I think the middle one is an amalgam of an early 18th C foot on a late 17th C stick, Cro. It's my favourite too - even though it's not strictly kosher. They didn't throw them away if one part was broken!

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  3. There's a pair of candlesticks like the one on the right in the window of a local top notch antique dealer ( by appointment only) priced at £550. Just thought I'd say.

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  4. That's the sort of mark-up I'm looking for, Elegance. I paid about £50 for that one.

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  5. Love your candlesticks. I was all there for saying I liked the middle one and then you and Cro got going so it sounds as if I have no mind of my own. I still like the middle one. Can I buy it when you have your great candle sale?

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  6. Excellent taste if I may say so. Make me an offer, Elizabeth - I'm a tart.

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  7. Oh wow! Those are lovely! I actually like the two either side, but I think the one on the left is my favourite. Glad the book arrived safely!

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  8. Thanks Moll. I will put some candles in them soon!

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