Pair of Antique Iron Altar Candlesticks with Lobed Bases, 19th Century

A matched pair of iron pricket-style candlesticks built in the manner of Continental ecclesiastical altar furnishings, with stacked baluster shafts, double-knopped stems, and broad lobed bases that fan outward in a stylized lotus or scalloped petal arrangement. Each stick is constructed from sheet iron over a wooden core, the seams visible along the facets — a traditional method used by metalworkers producing large altar candlesticks at a fraction of the cost of cast bronze. The surfaces carry a dark olive-bronze patina with warm oxidized passages bleeding through at the joints and ring details, giving the pair the weathered presence of objects pulled from a long-disused chapel.

The tall cylindrical sockets accept a 1¼" candle, sized for a proper altar taper rather than a household dinner candle. Unmarked. The pair reads strongly as a decorator's set — well suited to a hearth, console, or entryway where the silhouette and patina do the work. Heavy in hand for their size, with a satisfying solidity that betrays the iron beneath the worked surface.

CONDITION

Good overall with age-appropriate wear. Rust and oxidation throughout, concentrated at the seams, ring details, and undersides of the bases as shown in the supplemental images. Surfaces show paint loss, small dents, and minor seam separation in places. Both sticks stand square and stable.

DIMENSIONS / SPECIFICATIONS

• Height: 13½"
• Base Diameter: 5"
• Socket: 1¼" candle
• Weight: 2 lbs 11 oz (pair together)
• Construction: Iron, over wooden core
• Markings: Unmarked