Not currently on display at the V&A

Candlestick

late 15th century-early 16th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

From the 14th until the 17th centuries, brass candlesticks appeared in all but the most prosperous European houses, and were made in forms peculiar to the material.

Socketed candlesticks made their appearance in the late 13th century and thereafter became relatively common, replacing the earlier pricket form, at least for domestic use. The earliest sockets were polygonal in cross-section; by the 15th century they were round. At first, two vertical apertures were cut into the socket to facilitate the extraction of the burnt-out stub. Over time these became smaller and by the 15th century they tended to be horizontally cut.

The form of the stem and base of candlesticks at this time is the result of a complicated interplay between two typological currents. The first type naturally evolved from the simple European pricket candlestick, where the shaft is supported on three legs. The second type originated in the Near East and had a high cylindrical or slightly conical base surmounted by a flat circular wax pan and a short circular stem. These candlesticks were introduced into Europe by the Muslim community in Venice from the 14th century and account for the high bell-shaped bases that appear on many northern European and Saracenic candlesticks during this period.

Broadly speaking the development of the base can be attributed to Near Eastern influence, while the stem, which gradually became longer, with an increasingly complicated range of knops and balusters, is largely European in origin.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Brass, turned
Brief description
Brass candlestick with five flattened knops on the stem and two holes in the socket, Flemish, late 15th - early 16th century
Physical description
Deep circular moulded foot with spreading base and projecting up-turned rim; the stem is with five flattened knops; the socket has two oblong holes.
Dimensions
  • Height: 10in
  • Diameter: 4.75in
Credit line
Lt. Col. G. B. Croft-Lyons Bequest
Summary
From the 14th until the 17th centuries, brass candlesticks appeared in all but the most prosperous European houses, and were made in forms peculiar to the material.

Socketed candlesticks made their appearance in the late 13th century and thereafter became relatively common, replacing the earlier pricket form, at least for domestic use. The earliest sockets were polygonal in cross-section; by the 15th century they were round. At first, two vertical apertures were cut into the socket to facilitate the extraction of the burnt-out stub. Over time these became smaller and by the 15th century they tended to be horizontally cut.

The form of the stem and base of candlesticks at this time is the result of a complicated interplay between two typological currents. The first type naturally evolved from the simple European pricket candlestick, where the shaft is supported on three legs. The second type originated in the Near East and had a high cylindrical or slightly conical base surmounted by a flat circular wax pan and a short circular stem. These candlesticks were introduced into Europe by the Muslim community in Venice from the 14th century and account for the high bell-shaped bases that appear on many northern European and Saracenic candlesticks during this period.

Broadly speaking the development of the base can be attributed to Near Eastern influence, while the stem, which gradually became longer, with an increasingly complicated range of knops and balusters, is largely European in origin.
Collection
Accession number
M.436-1926

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Record createdJanuary 29, 2004
Record URL
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