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Lighting

Sterling Silver Candlesticks & Candelabra — sizes and styles that trace three centuries of table lighting.
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Candlesticks and candelabra have marked sterling silver tables for centuries, originally as a genuine status symbol and the room’s actual source of light, not just decoration. Height has shifted with fashion throughout: early eighteenth-century candlesticks are noticeably smaller, matching the more modest ceilings of the period; by the late Georgian era, 12-inch candlesticks had become standard, as formal entertaining and taller ceilings became fashionable. That height carried through the Victorian period before shrinking again in the twentieth century, as smaller private houses returned and electric lighting made candlelight decorative rather than necessary. Every piece is hallmarked, guaranteeing the silver content under UK law.

At a Glance

Early 18th-century candlesticks are smaller, matching lower period ceilings
12-inch became the standard height by the late Georgian era
Candelabra took off once home entertaining in courses became fashionable
Both shrank again in the 20th century once electric lighting took over
Recent decades favour more whimsical, modern forms

Style & Maker History

Candlesticks were originally as much about status as light — one of the main ways a Georgian table signalled a household’s wealth, before electric lighting existed at all. Height tracked the period closely: modest early eighteenth-century examples gave way to the standard 12-inch candlestick by the late Georgian era, a height that held through the Victorian period. Candelabra followed a similar arc — they became genuinely popular once eighteenth-century households began entertaining more at home, serving food in courses rather than all at once, helped along by a broader economic boom that made their manufacture more affordable. Both forms shrank again in the twentieth century, as electric lighting made them decorative rather than essential, and the last sixty years or so have leaned toward more whimsical, modern designs.

Buyer's Guide

Scale is the main thing to plan around — a pair of tall Georgian-style candlesticks needs a genuinely formal table and higher ceilings to look right, where a shorter Victorian or twentieth-century pair suits a more everyday setting. Candelabra specifically became popular once households began entertaining at home in courses rather than one grand spread, so a pair genuinely does the job of lighting a table, not just decorating it. We stock a good range of pairs and are happy to advise on what suits how you actually entertain, rather than just what looks good in a photo.

A few things to know

Any item which is guaranteed to be over 100 years old.
Sterling Silver is guaranteed by the UK Hallmarking Act. Each piece is independently verified and assayed for the purity of silver content.
Yes, all of the items shown on our website are available to view at our showroom in The London Silver Vaults.
Looking after your silverware is a simple process. We have put together a guide at https://johnsurtees.co.uk/knowledge/how-to-clean-silver-care-guide/