Object number
54/19
Description
Candlestick from the early 19th C.. Type used in offices for melting sealing wax. Formerly part of the collections at the V&A Museum
This sheet iron candlestick is thought to originate from the early nineteenth century. It is of a type which was often used in offices for melting sealing wax. The shallow pan between the stick and the base is probably intended to catch any dripping wax. It was formerly part of the collections at the Victoria & Albert Museum, but nothing is known of its origins before that.
Physical description
1 candlestick: metal (iron)
Archival history
MERL 'Catalogue index' card – ‘… // DATE ACQUIRED: // GROUP: // NEGATIVE: // PERIOD: // PLACE OF ORIGIN: // NUMBER: // DESCRIPTION: …‘ This early nineteenth century, sheet iron candlestick is of unknown origin. Lindsay says (Iron and Brass Implements of the English House P. 106) that late Georgian kitchen candlesticks were generally made of sheet iron, and this type was used in offices for melting sealing wax, extra stability being obtained by filling the base with silver sand. // The candlestick is 9.3 inches in height with a tubular stick, 5.6 inches in height, with a slide for adjusting the height of the candle fitted to a slit on the side. The base which gradually narrows, has a bore with a diameter of 5.8 inches. A shallow pan between the stick and base is probably to catch the dripping wax. // [pencil sketch]
Production date
1800-01-01 - 1824-12-31
Production period
Early-nineteenth century
Object name
Material
Technique
Dimensions
- Height 240 mm
- Diameter 150 mm
Associated subject
External document
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\60 series negatives\60_352.tif - High resolution image
