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.
|
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 |
|
Marks and inscriptions |
|
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 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
Record created | June 4, 2009 |
Record URL |
Download as: JSON