Not currently on display at the V&A

Chamber Candlestick

late 18th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The chamber candlestick, also known as a chamberstick, bedroom candlestick or hand candlestick, was intended to light the way indoors. This example consists of a wide, shallow circular base with raised edge. The deep socket has a slightly moulded nozzle of silvered brass, and the loop handle is scrolled and holds a conical extinguisher. Candles could be made of tallow (animal fat), beeswax or spermaceti (whale oil). Tallow was the cheapest of the three.

Sheffield plate originated, with the discovery in 1742, that bars of silver and copper, in unequal proportions, fused by heating under pressure, could be rolled into sheets of laminated metal and worked like silver. The industry this material created flourished for about 100 years until superseded by electroplating in the 1840s.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 3 parts.

  • Candlestick
  • Extinguisher
  • Drip Tray
Materials and techniques
Sheffield plate
Brief description
Candlestick with extinguisher, Sheffield plate, late 18th century, English
Physical description
Wide circular base with raised edge; deep socket with slightly moulded nozzle of silvered brass, the handle scrolled, with hole for the conical extinguisher.
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 16.5cm
  • Height: 6.98cm
Production typeMass produced
Credit line
Lt. Col. G. B. Croft-Lyons Bequest
Production
Reason For Production: Retail
Summary
The chamber candlestick, also known as a chamberstick, bedroom candlestick or hand candlestick, was intended to light the way indoors. This example consists of a wide, shallow circular base with raised edge. The deep socket has a slightly moulded nozzle of silvered brass, and the loop handle is scrolled and holds a conical extinguisher. Candles could be made of tallow (animal fat), beeswax or spermaceti (whale oil). Tallow was the cheapest of the three.

Sheffield plate originated, with the discovery in 1742, that bars of silver and copper, in unequal proportions, fused by heating under pressure, could be rolled into sheets of laminated metal and worked like silver. The industry this material created flourished for about 100 years until superseded by electroplating in the 1840s.
Collection
Accession number
M.1044-1926

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Record createdSeptember 25, 2002
Record URL
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