Antique US Silver Plated Candlesticks & Candelabras
Antique candlesticks and candelabras that have a silver-plated finish are commonly used to decorate the home. Antique silver or vintage silver candlesticks and candelabras come in a variety of styles that can enhance your interior's decor. They can also add a touch of elegance and sparkle to your holiday decorations.
What are the differences between candlesticks and candelabras?Although silver-plated antique candlesticks and candelabras both hold candles, they have some slight differences:
- Candlesticks: Antique candlestick holders have single stems with a hollow at the top to fit one candle. They release a warm, low light that can set the mood for evenings in or parties.
- Candelabras: These candleholders have clusters of candlesticks, each of which holds a candle. They usually have at least three stems. Candelabras can be designed to sit on surfaces, like a table, or hang from a ceiling. They give off a bright light due to the number of candles they hold.
Vintage or antique silver candlesticks and candelabras are made out of a metal that is plated with a thin layer of sterling silver. The silver-plated candleholders have the same amount of shine and elegance as those made out of full sterling silver.
What are the features of antique or vintage candlesticks?There are five main components that make up a silver candlestick:
- Pricket: Also known as a socket, this refers to the hollow at the top of the candleholder where the candle is inserted. Some antique, silver-plated candelabras and other candleholders have a spike that holds the candle in place instead of a hollow socket.
- Bobeche: This component is a wide circular piece of silver plated metal just below the pricket or socket. It catches the wax as it drips down.
- Column: The column, or shaft, gives the candleholder its height. Some columns are tall, while others are short, allowing you to mix and match your silver candlesticks and candleholders when using them as functional decorations.
- Base: This component supports the column and the top parts of the antique silver candlestick holder. The base is often highly ornate.
- Ejection mechanism: Some antique plated candlesticks have a tool in the column that helps get the burned-out stub of the candle out of the socket. These specific types of antique or vintage plated candlesticks are called pushup candlesticks.
Antique silver candleholders come from four main eras:
- Queen Anne: These silver-plated candleholders have oblong- or octagonal-shaped stems with minimal decorations.
- Georgian era: Candleholders from this era use Neoclassical, Rococo, and Gothic-revival designs. Candleholders from this era may include glass features.
- Victorian era: Candlestick holders from this era were influenced by medieval Elizabethan and Gothic styles.
- Edwardian era: These silver-plated candelabras and other candleholders often had nature patterns, such as swirling flowers, incorporated in their design.