A taperstick is a type of utensil similar to and usually in the style of various types of candlestick but smaller being about 10 cm high and is used to hold a taper (a thin candle). They usually exist singly and not as one of a pair since one is usually sufficient for the intended use. The socket is sometimes lined with paper in order to hold securely the tall thin taper. The taper, (made of wax and non odorous) was used mainly for melting sealing wax and for lighting candles, tobacco pipes etc., and not as a source of illumination; hence the piece was sometimes called a ‘tobacco candlestick’.