Late Medieval, 13th -15th century Bronze Complete Candle Holder

"Late Medieval Bronze Complete Candle Holder

Culture / Period: Late Medieval, 13th-15th century
Date / Period: 13th-15th century
Material: Bronze
Dimensions: 34 × 22 mm
Condition: Good condition

No shipping outside the European Union. Due to complex export regulations concerning cultural goods, this item cannot be shipped outside the EU. Please ensure you have a delivery address within the European Union before placing a bid.

Provenance information:
Object Registration ID: 832

The current owner (S.N.J. S.) purchased the Complete Candle Holder from P.P. in Baarland, the Netherlands.

The previous owner, P.P. from Baarland (the Netherlands), stated that the object had been in his collection since the 1990's.

According to the previous owner, the object had previously been in a private collection in the Netherlands since the 1990's.

No further information concerning the earlier ownership history of the object was available from the previous owner.

Background Information:
This bronze candle holder dates to the Late Medieval period (13th-15th century) and represents a remarkably complete example of a type that is rarely encountered intact. Designed to be pressed into a wooden beam, wall, furniture, or other support by means of its pointed tang, it provided a secure and practical holder for a wax or tallow candle, bringing portable light into medieval homes, workshops, inns, and religious buildings.

Such socketed candle holders formed an essential part of everyday medieval life. Before fixed lighting became commonplace, they offered a simple but highly effective solution, allowing light to be placed wherever it was needed. Their practical design remained largely unchanged for centuries and reflects the ingenuity of medieval craftsmen in producing durable household fittings.

Complete examples are considerably scarcer than fragmentary finds, as the projecting tang and socket were particularly vulnerable to damage, corrosion, or reuse as scrap metal. Many excavated examples survive only as broken sockets or detached spikes, making well-preserved, complete specimens increasingly desirable among collectors of medieval domestic artefacts.

Cast in bronze and finished by hand, this candle holder belongs to a long-established tradition of medieval metalworking. Comparable examples have been recovered from medieval towns, castles, monasteries, and rural settlements throughout northwestern Europe, illustrating their widespread use across all levels of society.

This piece provides a direct and tangible connection to the medieval household, where such practical objects illuminated daily activities long before the advent of modern lighting. Its completeness, combined with its clear function and authentic medieval craftsmanship, makes it a particularly attractive and historically significant example of everyday material culture."