Antique French Silver Chamberstick

Object Description

A good quality antique silver chamber stick of early form having a long flat handle and broad drip pan. With the solid cast design and excellent heavy gauge silver as you’d expect from this date. Hand engraved to the front is an armorial within a decorative cartouche (worn).

Weight 217 grams, 6.9 troy oz.
Diameter 10.4 cm. Length 22.5 cm.
Paris, France.
Date mark “F” for 1746.
Maker’s mark indistinct.

Marks. With a full set of French silver marks underneath the pan, control mark on the nozzle. 

Object Literature

Silver chambersticks first made an appearance in the 17th century and early examples are now very hard to find. Originally they were made in sets as a household would need many chambersticks. They were used for lighting the way to bed and because of the movement created when they were carried about they needed a large drip pan to catch the wax. The earliest examples have straight handles (first flat, then tubular) which were superceded in the first part of the 18th century by a ring handle. Gradually the design evolved and from the mid 18th century onwards they usually had a matching conical snuffer although from about 1790 onwards some were made with an aperture at the base of the stem to take a pair of scissor snuffers.

Object Condition

This antique silver chamberstick is in good condition. Heavy quality. Good colour. Shows some wear to the engraved armorial. An old repair can be seen where the handle meets the pan, although visible this has been well executed and does not detract from the general appearance.

Object Details