A History of Candle Sconces

A History of Candle Sconces

Candles sconces tend to conger up images of dark castles and candle sconces lining the wall every so often. The picture presents a woman is a flowing dress or a man in medical attire grabbing a candle from the wall and walking to the bedchamber or going through a secret passage. All fancies aside, what the history of the candle sconce? Some people would suggest that the first candle sconce wasn’t a sconce at all and that a cave dweller made a torch to light his dwelling and pushed the end of in between a couple of rocks or a crack in the cave wall.

But wall brackets or candle sconces were a permanent fixture of Old English Anglo Saxon castles and medieval castles before then. They may have been torches, but they were dipped in tallow and that is a kind of candle. As time moved on into the beginning of the 17th century candle sconces become very popular. Elegant sconce lit ballrooms where high society danced and the boudoirs were decorated with elaborate candle sconces that were made of gold and shaped decorative flowers and leaves.

Experts say the first true candle sconces came from Italy, these sconces were backed with a shiny piece of metal or a mirror that helped to reflect the light of the candle. The French named these sconces bras because of the fancy embellished corbels. Fashion, art, architecture, culture, many things have affected the development of different kinds of sconces. Though not elegant to some people, wrought iron has been used to make sconces and have been quite popular; these wonderful candle holders have also been made out of tone, metal, Tiffany glass, crystal, wood, gypsum, ceramic, resin, brass, pewter, and polymers. The reason some materials are suitable for sconces today is that most today are electrified. Some of the styles are modern, contemporary, and Victorian.

Considering the practical side of using a candle sconce, fire isn’t a worry. Remember the shiny plate it is affixed to the wall and not only reflects the light but protects from starting a fire. If you hang a candle sconce in your home make sure it is far from curtains or drapes and works of art. Hang it with hardware that is used for heavy objects. This type of light fixture directs the light towards the ceiling.

As you can tell candle sconces have been around for practical and decorative use for a long time. The various styles available today provide a wide choice of decorative ideas and themes when choosing candle sconce styles for the home. Many kinds are manufactured today and antique candle sconces are around for those so inclined. If your home is already decorated in a Victorian motif a couple of well place candle sconces to match your décor can add ambiance to your living room or hall. The same goes for whichever motif you have or if you would like to redecorate in another style. For historical significance and elegance you can’t go wrong with candle sconces.