Featured Funny looking Spelter Candlestick holder Figures

Hi I hope this is in the right place. If not feel free to move.

We have some funny looking candlestick holders that were given to my father from his mother but we don't know anything about them. I had a look online and there doesn't seem to be too much information. I see there's some incomplete ones for sale in the uk and chrisites sold some but provenance was unknown. Can anyone shed any light?

Cheers Tim

 

How big? No marks underneath or anywhere?

 

Probably about 10 inches high. The bottoms are completely smooth no marks I can see anywhere. My father thought they were tat.

 

Could we see the faces, please?

 

they are really, really, cool!

 

I think they're really cool, too. Much more interesting than the standard straight up and down variety!

 

Unusual - musicians playing fireplace tools! Oh, am I slow today, I just figured out they are suppose to be chimmy sweeps! Here's an unpainted pair in lead on the Skinner's auction site that they are calling candlesticks. Does your's have candle holders in their hats? You have probably seen these, but incase not...

http://www.skinnerinc.com/auctions/2554B/lots/378
This pair was posted also on Pinterest with a larger pic:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/371828512963858192/

Another pair with no info on by whom or from where:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/192695014/pair-antique-figural-candlesticks

--- Susan

 

Susan, I can see the candle holder in the hat on the left.

 

The ones that did sell, sold quite well! And they were unpainted.

 

I like them better with the painting. But then, I'm not much of a bare metal person.

 

Why would a chimney sweep be playing andirons ?

I'm going to call them fire devils and if I still had my big fireplace...I'd put them on the mantle straight away !!

They're mystical !!!

 

Holy @@@@ £600 surely must be a joke!!!

They are funny things not sure what they were doing as fiddlers and playing off instruments but it's funny.

 

They certainly are better than "tat"!

 

When I 1st saw them I thought the fiddler character in The Fiddler on the Roof, but quickly saw they weren't for the fiddler wasn't dressed like these imps. The fireplace tools stumbed me until the idea of possibly chimney sweeps that are sometimes portrayed dancing around on roof tops. Probably the use of fireplace tools are to clue us in to whom they are suppose to be?? Then again they may be kitchen servants, knaves, characters of medieval England. I think Shakespeare portrayed kitchen knaves as mischievous??

>... playing andirons... <

Hmmmm... I don't really think I'm seeing andirons, but then again? I thinkkk I'm seeing the fireplace tools of shovel, tongs, fireplace handled trivet and possibly hanging from the side of one a bellows and a long handle ladle from the side of the other. These tools are more easily seen on the figurines on the etsy site.

--- Susan

 

Of course you're right they're not andirons.....they're fireplace tools....that was just the 1st name that jumped into my head.

but...
they are very different from a chimney sweeps tools....

 

Hi,
They are beginning to hex me.. I am growing more attached than I first thought.
greg

 

Well I spent all weekend looking for more info and can only find two other pairs for sale. One is in a lot better nick the other is missing bits. So we decided to sell them and see what we get for them as they just sit in the drawer at the money. If anyone does find anymore out please let me know so I an write it in the description. Where's the best place to sell them? eBay? Is there a specialist figure auction site?

Thanks