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Chamber Candlestick

1821-1822 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The chamber candlestick, otherwise known as a chamberstick, bedroom candlestick or hand candlestick was intended to light the way indoors. It consists of a small flat tray or shallow, saucer like base with a central support for the candle, Some early examples have a flat or curved handle but on later ones there is a ring shaped handle, extending upwards from the rim in a loop. The handle sometimes supports, in a pierced slot, a candle snuffer, a small hollow cone which was placed over the lighted taper to extinguish the flame without causing the snuff to smoke. Candles could be made of tallow (animal fat), bees-wax or spermaceti (whale oil). Tallow was the cheapest of the three.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 3 parts.

  • Candlestick
  • Nozzle for a Chamber Candlestick
  • Extinguisher for a Chamber Candlestick
Materials and techniques
Silver, raised and engraved
Brief description
Silver, York hallmarks for 1821-22, mark of Jmaes Barber and William Whitewell
Physical description
Silver, circular pan, tall socket with nozzle, open scroll handle, reeded borders. Engraved with a crest (a fox holding a fish) on pan, nozzle and extinguisher.
Dimensions
  • Height: 3.5in
  • Diameter: 4.5in
Marks and inscriptions
  • York hallmarks for 1821-22
  • Mark of James Barber and William Whitwell
  • Engraved crest of a fox holding a fish (Unidentified)
Credit line
Arthur Hurst Bequest
Subjects depicted
Summary
The chamber candlestick, otherwise known as a chamberstick, bedroom candlestick or hand candlestick was intended to light the way indoors. It consists of a small flat tray or shallow, saucer like base with a central support for the candle, Some early examples have a flat or curved handle but on later ones there is a ring shaped handle, extending upwards from the rim in a loop. The handle sometimes supports, in a pierced slot, a candle snuffer, a small hollow cone which was placed over the lighted taper to extinguish the flame without causing the snuff to smoke. Candles could be made of tallow (animal fat), bees-wax or spermaceti (whale oil). Tallow was the cheapest of the three.
Collection
Accession number
M.44 to B-1940

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Record createdJune 4, 2009
Record URL
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