Well, my silver fetish is taking over! I am not sure what I was searching for on eBay, but I ran across the most lovely Tiffany candlesticks with shade supports and pierced silver lampshades (known as reticulated shades). These made my heart flutter when I saw them.

The candlesticks looked like small lamps that could center a dining table or mantel. They were advertised as being made around 1902 to 1907, which I feel is probably correct based on my research.

When the box arrived that housed these little beauties, I could not wait to rip it open and hold these delights in my hand. Each piece had been individually wrapped and sealed. One of the shades had been bent in shipping, but it was easy to pop back out.

I can not wait to set my dining table with these candlesticks on either side of a bowl of fresh flowers. Simple, elegant and timeless.

Speaking of timeless, the candles were a bit tricky to identify. The shade supports or extenders are spring loaded shafts in which a candle is housed. As the candle melts the spring pushes against the remaining candle so that the flame continues at a constant height. This would be really important if I had the original fabric lining of the shades. One would not want the flame to get too close to the fabric. A small fire at the dining table would not have pleased 1902 dinner guests.

The way the extenders are designed to use candles like those used in churches. I measured the diameter and length of the shafts and took to the web to find the appropriate candles. Since I don’t need 200 of them, I identified some vendors on Amazon where I could purchase a small quantity.

I anticipate using these new, old candles a great deal. Because my dining table is narrow, my mom’s three armed candelabras are a bit overpowering. They look much better on the buffet. These new beauties are just right, not too tall nor short, not too wide.

Do you have any silver pieces that you can’t live without? Are candles a must on your dining table?  Do you have spring-loaded candlesticks?