Antique brass pricket candlestick in the Neo-Gothic style – altar candlestick for pillar candles, approx. 1890s–1930s

Not a candle holder with a socket, but a spike candlestick: The candle is placed onto a pointed brass spike – a design originating from churches and chapels that has proven its worth to this day for thick pillar candles. Directly beneath the drip plate sits a narrow wreath of small arches, a subtle reference to Gothic window shapes.

Design and Construction

The candlestick is assembled from several brass parts: a round stepped base, a slender shaft with turned rings, a profiled collar, and a flat drip plate with a spike. Everything is held together by a continuous iron rod, with its square nut visible on the underside. The base plate is made of a grey metal. The style and construction suggest Gothic Revival from the Historicism period. As there is no maker's mark, we cautiously date it to approx. the 1890s–1930s.

Dimensions

• Height including spike: approx. 23 cm
• Diameter of base: approx. 11 cm
• Diameter of drip plate: approx. 8 cm
• Material: brass, iron rod, base plate made of grey metal

Condition

This candlestick has been used, and it shows. The drip plate features fine scratches, green patina spots along the edge and inside, a red wax or paint residue next to the spike, as well as some small white paint specks. The edge of the plate is slightly uneven. Light residues adhere to the spike, but the tip is intact. The shaft and base have a warm, slightly matte sheen with minor signs of wear. The lower edge of the base is darkly oxidized and bears a blue-green patina; the base plate shows whitish oxidation, and the iron nut shows rust. Please consider the photos as part of the condition description.

Where it fits

With a thick pillar candle on the mantelpiece, on a bookshelf between old volumes, on the Advent table, or in a quiet reading corner. It fits into country house interiors as well as classic period-style rooms. Candles up to about 7 cm in diameter fit well on the plate.

Care

Dust with a soft cloth. Those who wish to preserve the patina should avoid brass polish. Never leave burning candles unattended.

Price applies to 1 piece. Selected at an Austrian flea market, shipping from Austria, carefully packaged.

Eisenstadt, flea market. A drop of red wax on the plate that refused to be rubbed off – as if the last candle had left a signature. How many evenings has this candlestick held back the darkness? The answer is in its scratches.

A spike that bears light — Things with a soul · VintageAustriaShop