Antique Candlesticks Worth Money: Most Valuable Styles & Makers

Antique candlesticks are among the most common items to be found in attics and cellars. But most are either donated or sold for just a few dollars at garage sales, since people can’t tell the difference between a $20 find or a $2,000 gem.

Candlesticks were made by the millions over the last three centuries, in every material from tin to sterling silver. But certain pieces command serious money today. In this guide, you’ll discover valuable candlesticks and what really adds value.

5 Things That Make Antique Candlesticks Valuable

Antique candlesticks can be worth as little as $20 or as much as $5,000. There are several factors that decide if one is really valuable or just an old item, such as who made it, what it is made of, what style it is, and what kind of condition it is in.

Maker or Signature

If an antique candlestick bears the maker’s name, it is usually more valuable than one without a name. This is especially true if the maker is well known.

You can look for the maker’s mark on the bottom, on a tab that you push up on the stem, on the socket, or on the rim of the base.

Some names that can add value include:

• English silversmiths: Especially fully hallmarked sterling silver
• Tiffany Studios: Favrile glass, bronze, Zodiac pattern, Art Nouveau forms
• Steuben: Aurene art glass, especially signed pieces
• Roycroft: Arts and Crafts hammered copper
• Baccarat: 19th-century molded or crystal glass forms
• Matthew Boulton: Old Sheffield Plate and Georgian metalwork

Age and Production Period

An older candlestick is not necessarily worth more; however, age makes sense when it pertains to a certain era.

Pieces made out of Georgian silver, iron from the early 19th century, Baccarat from the late 19th century, or Tiffany and Steuben from the early 20th century have more worth and collectibility compared to mass-produced items in the 20th century.

For instance, the Art Nouveau and Arts and Crafts pieces dating back to the early 1900s are highly coveted, while Victorian era figural items are highly valued.

Material

The material directly impacts value, and certain materials carry more weight with collectors. For example, Sterling silver, especially hallmarked English or Continental pieces, is the most valuable.

Tiffany’s gold doré and fine “Favrile” glass are other top-tier materials that fetch premiums.

However, even “lowly” materials like iron can be valuable if they are early “primitive” styles with unique mechanical features.

Condition and Originality

The patina or finish on metal candlesticks is more important than polishing. In the case of Tiffany bronze, for instance, a piece will fetch a higher price if it still carries its original gold doré patina, rather than being restored.

When it comes to glass, chips and cracks lower the value of a piece considerably. Silver is devalued by damage and repairs, although hallmarks and weight do count.

Pairs vs. Singles

Candlestick pairs almost always bring a higher premium than a single piece. If you have a single stick from a notable maker, it’s still worth something, but pairs can actually be worth more than double, as collectors often want pairs for tables and mantels.

Valuable Antique Candlesticks & Styles to Know

The following are some examples of collectible antique candlestick styles that are genuinely valuable today.

1. Louis XV 18th-Century Silver Candlesticks

Average Value	$2,000 to $5,000+ (pair)
Production Period	18th century
Maker	Continental European silversmith
Key Features	800 silver, octagonal base, baluster stem
Collector Notes	Highly rare today.

They are authentic silver candlesticks of the 18th-century in Louis XV style. The baluster-form stems sit on octagonal stepped bases, a typical form from the mid-1700s. They’re made of 800 silver (80% silver content), which means they must have a significant weight.

Authentic 18th-century silver candlesticks are getting harder to find today, making the pairs especially valuable. The 800 silver mark, the style, and construction details all point to Continental origin.

2. Salkind Neoclassical Column Silver Candlesticks

Average Value	$1,500 to $3,000 (pair)
Production Period	1933
Maker	Moses Salkind, London
Key Features	Sterling silver, Corinthian column design
Collector Notes	Full London hallmarks present

These English sterling silver holders are inspired by ancient Greek architecture. The design of the candlestick has a shaft with lines that go up part of the way, and sits on a square base with steps. On top of this base is a capital and a bobeche that can be taken off.

This kind of candlestick has been around since the 1700s, but silversmiths were still making them in the 1900s.

Moses Salkind was a silversmith in London in the 1900s. So if a candlestick is real, it has to have London hallmarks on it, including the letter for the year 1933, the symbol of a lion walking, and Moses Salkind’s stamp.

3. Tiffany Studios Jeweled Tripod Candlestick

Average Value	$2,000 – $2,500
Production Period	Circa 1900
Maker	Tiffany Studios, New York
Key Features	Bronze, iridescent glass jewels
Collector Notes	Look for the “TS” mark

This tripod design is a classic example of Tiffany’s bronze work. While the tripod base with three ball feet is a well-known form, this version is unusual for its inset Favrile glass cabochons (the “jewels”) in iridescent purple, blue, green, and amber.

Most tripod candlesticks were made entirely in bronze, so the glass elements make this rarer. All glass inserts need to be original and undamaged for the price to hold.

Because these were handmade, the color of the Favrile glass inserts can vary, making some more desirable than others.

4. Tiffany Studios Zodiac Gold Dore Candlesticks

Average Value	$1,200 to $2,500 (pair)
Production Period	ca. 1900–1928
Maker	Tiffany Studios, New York
Key Features	Gold doré bronze, Zodiac pattern
Collector Notes	Original doré finish is critical

The Zodiac pattern was one of Tiffany Studios’ most popular desk accessory designs. The design features zodiac symbol medallions in geometric borders, finished in gold doré (an acid-etched gold patina on bronze).

This design was produced across a full range of items, including inkwells, pen trays, bookends, letter holders, and candlesticks.

Original and intact gold doré finish is a crucial value factor for these candlesticks; they can fetch up to $800-$900 per stick. Stripped or re-gilded pieces lose a lot of value.

5. Matthew Boulton Sheffield Plate Candlesticks

Matthew Boulton (1728–1809) spent over 50 years perfecting Old Sheffield plate. It’s silver fused onto copper with heat, before electroplating existed. His Old Sheffield plate candlesticks are quite collectible.

If you notice copper in some spots (like in this image), it’s not always concerning. Collectors actually look for that copper peeking through, as it proves the piece isn’t just a modern electroplated copy. Too much wear, however, can hurt the value.

Besides, these sticks are sturdy, heavy, and represent the best of early
industrial silver production. And don’t miss the maker mark, a single or double sunburst on the base.

6. Parrot Porcelain & Bronze Candlesticks

Average Value	$800 to $1,500 (pair)
Production Period	19th to early 20th century
Maker	European decorative arts tradition
Key Features	Porcelain parrots, bronze/ormolu mounts
Collector Notes	Porcelain condition drives value

Porcelain-and-bronze figural candlesticks like these come from a long European decorative tradition, especially French and German workshops. Their style is based on the 18th-century theme of chinoiserie with exotic bird and animal figures in hand-painted porcelain mounted on ornate ormolu bases.

The value of such porcelain candlesticks will depend largely on their state of repair and their hand-painted decoration. Any damage to the porcelain will seriously reduce its value.

On the other hand, the value can escalate if the pieces are attributed to a notable maker. So, always check for marks and signatures.

7. Steuben Aurene Gold Candlestick

Average Value	$300 to $600
Production Period	Early 1900s–1920s
Maker	Steuben Glass
Key Features	Gold Aurene glass
Collector Notes	“Aurene” signed pieces are valuable

This unique candlestick from the Early 1900s–1920s features the Gold Aurene. Frederick Carder patented Gold Aurene in 1904 at Steuben Glass Works in Corning, New York.

The name blends the Latin aurum (gold) with the Middle English schene (sheen), and the iridescent surface comes from spraying metallic compounds onto hot glass and reheating it.

This 8-inch candlestick is a signed piece. Early pieces (pre-1917) are signed just “Aurene” with a shape number (“AURENE,” “989” in this example). After Corning acquired Steuben in 1918, the mark became “Steuben Aurene.” Also, blue Aurene typically sells for more than gold.

8. Baccarat Cherub Frosted Molded Candlesticks

Average Value	$300 to $800 (pair)
Production Period	Late 19th century
Maker	Baccarat
Key Features	Frosted cherub, molded crystal
Collector Notes	Acid-etched Baccarat mark on base

Baccarat has been making crystalware since 1816 and got its first royal commission in 1823. These frosted cherub candlesticks were popular during the Napoleon III period (1852–1870). The frosted sections are acid-etched, creating a matte surface that contrasts with the polished clear crystal.

Check the base for the acid-etched “Baccarat” stamp to confirm authenticity. The substantial weight is another sign to check, as reproductions often feel noticeably lighter.

9. Roycroft Hammered Copper Candlesticks

Average Value	$150 to $500 (pair)
Production Period	ca. 1906–1938
Maker	Roycroft Copper Shop
Key Features	Hand-hammered, orb-and-cross mark
Collector Notes	Original dark patina adds value

Roycroft candlesticks belong to the American Arts and Crafts movement. This example features a pair of original hand-hammered copper candlesticks with a textured appearance.

The value of these pieces lies in the impressed orb-and-cross mark on the base, visible hammer marks from hand-finishing, and their original dark patina. Cleaned or polished pieces generally lose value.

10. Heise Hog Scraper Push Up Candlestick

Average Value	$60 to $175
Production Period	1780 to 1860
Maker	Heise / similar makers
Key Features	Push-up iron shaft
Collector Notes	Signed tabs matter

Hog scraper candlesticks are icons of early American lighting, but almost all of them were actually made in Birmingham, England.

These are called so because the sharp base was reportedly used to scrape bristles off pigs after slaughter. They feature a unique thumb lever that pushes the candle up as it burns down.

Most hog scrapers are unmarked, so a maker’s name on the pusher tab bumps the price. Also, note that the earliest versions (1700s) have tabs cleated through the base. Later ones, like this example, use a screw-and-nut assembly, dating them to the mid-1800s.

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