Object Description
A charming little antique silver taperstick with a baluster stem and shell base. Made of cast silver. Attractive detail with a rope twist ornament to the top and column. Hand engraved to the lower stem is a widow’s coat of arms (indistinct).
Weight 146g, 4.7 troy oz.
Height 13.5cm, 5.3ins. Diameter of base 8.4cm, 3.3ins.
London 1761.
Maker Ebenezer Coker.
Sterling silver.
Marks. Stamped underneath the base with a full set of English silver hallmarks.
Literature. Silver tapersticks, averaging about 5 inches high, are miniature table candlesticks used to hold a wax taper. Tapersticks would typically be found on a desk as they were not used for lighting; the melted sticks of wax were used for sealing letters, to give a flame for tobacco pipes or to light large candles. They are rarer than candlesticks and very few existed prior to the Queen Anne period. They usually appear in singles. Pairs of tapersticks are rare and command a premium price.