| I love candles and candle holders. There are so many | | | | to hold candles back in the medieval times when they |
| different designs for a candle holder; I am going to | | | | were hung on the walls for castle lighting. Wrought |
| look at some of the basic styles such as votive, | | | | iron candle holders are available in floor standing units |
| wrought iron, hurricane and crystal holder. In the | | | | or wall mounted sconces or table top sized |
| beginning candles were made of tallow, very smoky | | | | candelabras. The wrought iron can come in black or |
| and burnt very quickly. Later wax was used, but was | | | | silver and is usually lacquered. Floor standing holders |
| expensive. Candle holders came into being to hold the | | | | can be used for a single large candle or as a |
| candle and protect the user's hand, but also to collect | | | | chandelier for many smaller candles. The chandelier |
| the wax and reuse it. Nowadays the simple candle | | | | effect is achieved using tea lights or votive candles. |
| holder has become an ornamental item and is used in | | | | The candles are held on a metal dish or in glass cups, |
| interior design. They are available in many forms, | | | | free to move in the breeze. This provides a bright |
| styles and colors. There is something to appeal to | | | | sparkling light. |
| everyone from votive holders to ones made from | | | | Hurricane Candle Holders |
| wrought iron, or glass and crystal. | | | | Hurricane lamps are basically an enclosure around the |
| Votive Candle Holders | | | | light to prevent it from going out in the wind. Initially |
| This in one of the most common types of candle | | | | candles were used in hurricane lamps, but oil was |
| holder, but it comes from the votive meaning a | | | | found to be much easier to use. Today candle |
| devotion. The votive candle is probably the most | | | | hurricane candle lights are purely decorative and |
| common candle in the world, it is used as a spiritual | | | | ornamental. The hurricane candle holder has a base |
| offering, most often seen left burning in churches ad | | | | with a removable glass shield around it. This shield is |
| part of the prayer. The votive was used by the | | | | open at the top. The glass can be a simple cylinder |
| Romans and possible before, and is used around the | | | | shape, but is more likely to be shaped artistically with |
| world by many different spiritual groups. The votive | | | | a bulb at the bottom narrowing to the top. The glass |
| candle used to be made of beeswax and is small, it | | | | can be plain or decorated with patterns or frosting. |
| will burn for 3-4 hours, and some are made to burn | | | | There is another kind of hurricane candle, where |
| for longer. | | | | dried flowers, leaves or shells are placed in the wax. |
| In modern times, votive candles have become | | | | The candle is meant to burn down leaving the |
| popular as mood lighting. Holders are required as the | | | | outside untouched. Then the hurricane candle can be |
| whole candle melts as it burns down. A votive candle | | | | lit up using a tea light to show the design left in the |
| holder today is the basic simple cup, often made | | | | wax shell. Sometimes the candle is scented. |
| from glass. There are many varieties of votive holder | | | | Crystal Candle Holder |
| from plain glass to mosaic tiled glass, or frosted glass | | | | Glass and crystal in particular became popular in the |
| to colored glass. With so much choice it will be easy | | | | 18Th century. It was around the time that glass |
| to find something for anyone! Simple colored glass | | | | makers in Czechoslovakia developed a new kind of |
| candle holders are available from the local dollar store; | | | | lead crystal that would enable them to work it more |
| specialist candle stores will have more elaborate | | | | easily and create more effects such as cutting, |
| designs. | | | | engraving or stenciling. The luster of the crystal was |
| Wrought Iron Candle Holders | | | | such that it became in great demand for household |
| Holders made from metal are much stronger in | | | | items such as candlesticks. Most glass candle holders |
| appearance and fact than glass and give a very | | | | are of the candelabra style with either a single candle |
| different feel to the lighting. Wrought iron comes in a | | | | or multiple holders. Cut glass bowls make effective |
| variety of finishes to suit any decor. Iron was used | | | | floating candle bowls. |