Brass and Tin Candlesticks

During this country’s early days, a well-lit home was a luxury few Americans could afford. While the wealthy owned mounted wall sconces and chandeliers, everyone else made do with simple candlesticks. And, while one might assume there was a candlestick stationed in every room, most homes had only one or two that were carried from one area to another, as needed. That is why some examples feature handles.

Early Americans imported most of their brass articles from England, including Queen Anne and Georgian candlesticks like those pictured. Examples produced before 1800 are solid and quite heavy; new technology after that time allowed for the stem to be hollowed out, leading some manufacturers to fabricate a lighter product.

While brass candlesticks provided household light in moderately prosperous homes, tin candlesticks were more commonly used in lower-income homes and public spaces, including taverns. Those pictured are not household examples. Tin candlesticks were locally made, and some featured a push-up mechanism to adjust candle height, like the two green examples shown here, one of which includes a rare glass globe to slow the burning of the candle. Both of the tin candlesticks are weighted with sand. The collector says, “We purchased these examples with original green paint from a dealer who felt they came from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.”

More valuable in pairs, brass candlesticks of average height sell for between $35 and $65. Tin candlesticks, depending on condition, can sell for $550 and more.