Candlestick

In the 16th and 17th century candles were typically made from either tallow or beeswax. The clean burning and sweet smelling beeswax candles were expansive, and as a result used only by the wealthy and on special occasions. The majority of people used tallow candles; made from animal fat these candles were smoky, produced an unpleasant odor, and only burned for a short period of time. To mitigate the dangers of these candles different candlestick designs were developed. The most popular included a prick or metal spike that supported the candle, and a base to securely hold the candlestick, while avoiding the burning candle. The candle stick engraved “1640” is a rustic design that would have been used during the 17th century.

Collection ID: TP.1960.018.081