FRIENDLY CANDLESTICKS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 227, 14 December 1927, Page 4

FRIENDLY CANDLESTICKS

(By PAULINE DOUCHIER.) A revival of candlesticks is in progress. Sometimes they are used for ornamentation, but often the becoming light glows over the nicelydecorated dinner table. Among wedding gifts, candlesticks are extremely popular, and it is thought that, this Christmas, they will take first place in crystal and silver presents. Crystal is the -whim of the moment. As the ideal wedding gift it is taking the place of silver. In a large store I saw somo choice candlesticks in cut crystal, plain and coloured, which would both be graceful additions to the other crystal ‘'trimmings” seen on the highly-polished . dressing-tables Just now. These candlesticks are all tall and tapering. SILVER AND OAK

Oak can be cleverly combined with silver in the Jacobean style, when the twisted stem is of the wood, and the broad base and top of silver. Four of these attractive sticks, twelve inches high, make a popular finish to a welllaid dinner table. The shops which “lay” tables for smart functions never fail to include a “set” of candlesticks, even though they may be purely for decoration. "When used, the coloured, dripless candles last from two to three hours. Other oak candlesticks, with straight stems, on wide, wooden bases, have handles In the shape of the heads of dogs in cast iron, and iron rims at the tops. Electric light is often concealed in the more elaborate designs, especially in crystal candlesticks, which are finished with a dome-lid, beautifully wrought. The coloured specimens in these designs are both beautiful and costly. Though tall candlesticks are considered the most fashionable, pretty lacquer ones, not more than three inches high, are very attractive. Black seems most popular in lacquer, though gold and white is dainty, and a blue pattern looks well on a cream background. Carved wood, painted gold, makes a very choice and unusual candlestick. SOME OLD DESIGNS There is a whole wealth of antique shapes in the “little” shops which are both attractive and popular. I have been told great care is taken in making reproductions from some of the rare specimens in the British Museum, as these people who are busy collecting candlesticks desire accuracy in the details of the, very often, costly reproductions. One unique example in polished brass stands on a fairly broad base with a bell half-way up the straight stem. There are heavy and elaborate candalabra in Sheffield plate; while another antique shape in unpolished brass has the slenderest of stems representing the branches of a tree, which entwine artistically with, here and there, a small groove for a slender candle. pewter is always popular, and the candlesticks are a distinct contrast from the tall, tapering examples in other metals, being invariably of the flat, squat type, complete with a snuffer at one side. When polished pewter is beaten it makes many bright candlesticks, and the popular height for these is not more than two to three inches.

To clean any light-coloured straw hat, take a small brush, damp sliglitlv, rub on a cake of Bon Ami and apply to the hat—then leave to dry. Brush off, and the hat will be most satisfactorily clean.