Although known before the reign of Charles II (1660-1685) there are so few silver candlesticks in existence that it is virtually impossible to describe a definitive style and there would be little chance to acquire any examples.

The earliest examples of English silver candlesticks tend to be made of hammered sheet metal but by the later seventeenth century candlesticks made by the method of casting was the prevailing method of manufacture right up to the 1770s when the stamping of candlesticks from sheet metal became the dominant technique.

Candlesticks right up to the mid eighteenth century are usually of a relatively small size with the great majority in the 6-to-8-inch range (15.25 cm-20.3 cm) and are mostly made without detachable nozzles. By the mid eighteenth-century candlesticks are usually in the 8–12-inch height range (20.3 cm-30.5 cm) and made with nozzles.

For an overview of some of the major styles available from c1680-c1780 please look at the inset photograph which gives an idea of the major styles that can be found with their approximate dates, this is by no means a definitive list.

By the later 18th century onwards styles become somewhat more varied and often hark back to earlier times. When purchasing candlesticks condition is of utmost consideration and here at William Walter we probably have one of the finest collections of candlesticks from the early eighteenth century right up to the present day with several pairs and sets of four with important and interesting historical connections.