A Question of Function?

Hey folks.

I bought this at the flea-market today:



It's manufactured by the Skultuna Brass Foundry in Skultuna, Sweden.

The foundry was established in 1607 (a date proudly marked on the underside of the base), and the model-number is 68 ("Adjustable office candle-holder").

According to the Skultuna website, this model has been made continuously since the 1600s. I doubt mine is that old, and I don't care if it is or isn't.

I bought it because it's interesting, functional, it has classic looks, and it's made of nice, shiny brass. And I like brass.

For those who don't get what's going on here...

The candle-holder has a circular drip-pan, and a long, cylindrical column. The side of the column is cut out. Inside the column is a brass ring with a hole drilled in it. The threaded bolt (which does double-duty as the handle) is screwed through the slit in the side of the column and engages the hole in the inner ring. Loosening the handle allows the ring (and the candle) to be moved up and down, varying the height of the candle inside the holder. Once the desired height is attained, the handle is tightened again and the candle is held in-place.

My question is...

WHY is a candle-holder of this design necessary? What purpose did it fulfil and what was it supposed to do? What circumstances meant that you needed an adjustable candle-holder over just a regular one?

I don't get it...

Explanations, please!!

 

My guess is a full sized candle is set to its lowest point. That would give the full size candle more stability in the holder (a better grasp on the candle)

As the candle burned down close to the holder, you would raise it up the remaining candle as not to waste. (A smaller candle would require less of the candle to be in the holder.)

 

Hi,
So you can adjust it's height for more light. think of it as a 3 way light bulb.
greg

 

It's to eject the candle stub.

There are many different designs of ejector candlesticks.

You'd not be adjusting it every 10 minures, and one flame can only give so much light.

 

Hi AF,
When I was using a candle to read it was sometimes easier when the candle was a little higher than the book. No, I was not Abe Lincoln, but Sandy left me with no power for two weeks
greg

 

Like sunset and midday, the angle at which the light strikes the surface alters the lumens per unit area, think of the beam of a torch square on to a wall and shone obliquely along it, but this is an incidental side effect. No more or less light is actually emitted.

Looking at the stick the tube part is only a couple of inches, enough for the holding and the ejecting but ineffective otherwise.

 

Or you gave them to the poor. Or the servants achieved the same result by taking them home as perks of the job.

 

There were lots of adjustable candlesticks, though.

 

Davey and Af: my mother-in-law used to give her maid her empty grapefruit rinds. The maid said it made her garbage look rich. (!!??)

 

I can understand that, grapefruit were an expensive treat when I was a boy, they were cut in half, covered with sugar and left overnight to develop a sugary, juicy crust. My father was a bit of a communist, though, and considered a glacee cherry a bourgeois affectation.

 

We used brown sugar and then grilled them as a starter for dinner parties. Even had proper grapefruit spoons - and wow, if you found pink grapefruit!

 

You heard the posh old English army-officer.

But thanks for the answers, chaps. It explains a lot, now that I think of it. It's an absolutely charming candleholder, I love having it!

Also, Skultuna is still around, and you can still buy this model from their website, if anyone wants it.