Candelabrum
1890-1910 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
Large candelabra such as this were generally used on the dinner table. More lighting was required as the dinner hour moved, following fashions in France, from the late afternoon in the late 18th century to the evening in the 19th century. Candelabra with two or three branches became more common in England from the 1770s. Despite the competition from oil lamps, and gas and electric lighting, many people still preferred candle lighting because of the special atmosphere that it could create. In 1878 Mrs Loftie's guide to furnishing a dining room concluded: 'For the dining room there is no light for a moment to be compared to the soft radiance of plenty of candles'.
Manufacture
Walker & Hall, who made this candelabrum, were important 19th-century manufacturing and retailing silversmiths with a factory in Sheffield, Yorkshire. They supplied markets in Britain and all over the world with inexpensive electroplated goods, from cutlery to tea wares, candlesticks and race prizes. One of the firm's illustrated trade catalogues for about 1905 shows a candelabrum identical to this one on a workman's bench.
Materials & Making
The candelabrum is made of electroplated nickel silver. The founder of Walker & Hall, George Walker, worked as an assistant to Dr John Wright, who conducted experiments that led to the development of commercial electroplating. Walker understood the significance of the new process, which could produce a cheap substitute for silver. Licensed by Elkington & Co., electroplating was a technique by which silver could be deposited on a base metal alloy, usually nickel, by the action of an electric current.
Design & Designing
The candelabrum design demonstrates the continuing consumer demand for objects in the Neo-classical taste, with urn-shaped sconces and a stem in the form a classical column. The branches of the candelabrum can be removed so that the column can be used as a single candlestick. In the trade catalogue for 1905 this candelabrum cost £15 1s in best electroplate, but a silver model was more expensive at £42.
Large candelabra such as this were generally used on the dinner table. More lighting was required as the dinner hour moved, following fashions in France, from the late afternoon in the late 18th century to the evening in the 19th century. Candelabra with two or three branches became more common in England from the 1770s. Despite the competition from oil lamps, and gas and electric lighting, many people still preferred candle lighting because of the special atmosphere that it could create. In 1878 Mrs Loftie's guide to furnishing a dining room concluded: 'For the dining room there is no light for a moment to be compared to the soft radiance of plenty of candles'.
Manufacture
Walker & Hall, who made this candelabrum, were important 19th-century manufacturing and retailing silversmiths with a factory in Sheffield, Yorkshire. They supplied markets in Britain and all over the world with inexpensive electroplated goods, from cutlery to tea wares, candlesticks and race prizes. One of the firm's illustrated trade catalogues for about 1905 shows a candelabrum identical to this one on a workman's bench.
Materials & Making
The candelabrum is made of electroplated nickel silver. The founder of Walker & Hall, George Walker, worked as an assistant to Dr John Wright, who conducted experiments that led to the development of commercial electroplating. Walker understood the significance of the new process, which could produce a cheap substitute for silver. Licensed by Elkington & Co., electroplating was a technique by which silver could be deposited on a base metal alloy, usually nickel, by the action of an electric current.
Design & Designing
The candelabrum design demonstrates the continuing consumer demand for objects in the Neo-classical taste, with urn-shaped sconces and a stem in the form a classical column. The branches of the candelabrum can be removed so that the column can be used as a single candlestick. In the trade catalogue for 1905 this candelabrum cost £15 1s in best electroplate, but a silver model was more expensive at £42.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Electroplated nickel silver |
| Brief description | Five branch candelabrum, Walker and Hall, 1890-1910. |
| Physical description | Candelabrum with five branches on a single candlestick base. The candelabrum branches detach as one leaving a single candlestick. Each of the curved branches have a vase shaped candle holder, as does the central branch. The candelabrum is in the neoclassical style as expressed in the shape of the vase shaped candle holders, the tapering stem and symmetrical base and in the decorative detailing of swags and medallions on the holders and base. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Marks and inscriptions | Marks for Walker and Hall: W & H, S,l,A with W&H in a waving pennant flag. (On side of base) |
| Gallery label | British Galleries:
With dinner taking place at 7 or 8 o'clock at night, candelabra provided both light and decoration. They were used to create atmospheric and dramatic table centrepieces, despite competition from oil lamps, gasoliers and, by the end of the century from electric light.(27/03/2003) |
| Object history | A photograph in the c. 1905 trade catalogue of Walker & Hall, Sheffield shows an identical candelabrum on a workman's bench. |
| Summary | Object Type Large candelabra such as this were generally used on the dinner table. More lighting was required as the dinner hour moved, following fashions in France, from the late afternoon in the late 18th century to the evening in the 19th century. Candelabra with two or three branches became more common in England from the 1770s. Despite the competition from oil lamps, and gas and electric lighting, many people still preferred candle lighting because of the special atmosphere that it could create. In 1878 Mrs Loftie's guide to furnishing a dining room concluded: 'For the dining room there is no light for a moment to be compared to the soft radiance of plenty of candles'. Manufacture Walker & Hall, who made this candelabrum, were important 19th-century manufacturing and retailing silversmiths with a factory in Sheffield, Yorkshire. They supplied markets in Britain and all over the world with inexpensive electroplated goods, from cutlery to tea wares, candlesticks and race prizes. One of the firm's illustrated trade catalogues for about 1905 shows a candelabrum identical to this one on a workman's bench. Materials & Making The candelabrum is made of electroplated nickel silver. The founder of Walker & Hall, George Walker, worked as an assistant to Dr John Wright, who conducted experiments that led to the development of commercial electroplating. Walker understood the significance of the new process, which could produce a cheap substitute for silver. Licensed by Elkington & Co., electroplating was a technique by which silver could be deposited on a base metal alloy, usually nickel, by the action of an electric current. Design & Designing The candelabrum design demonstrates the continuing consumer demand for objects in the Neo-classical taste, with urn-shaped sconces and a stem in the form a classical column. The branches of the candelabrum can be removed so that the column can be used as a single candlestick. In the trade catalogue for 1905 this candelabrum cost £15 1s in best electroplate, but a silver model was more expensive at £42. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.4:1, 2-2001 |
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| Record created | February 14, 2001 |
| Record URL |
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