I someone actually knows this I'd appreciate shared knowledge about it: Do 18th century cast brass / bronze candlesticks sometimes have a hollow stem? Hollow as in when you clean up the candle cup and poke a thin stick or pin down the middle, it sinks inside the stem of the candlestick? I'm just wondering.
I don't think so, if it is hollow that indicates it was probably was cast in large numbers. I wouldn't bet on it unless I saw it so it's more of a guess, but I hope it's helpful.
That's why I didn't include any pictures. The candlestick I may or may not have is not a conversation piece right now because I know it's only going to distract the conversation related to the initial question. I just want to know, as a technicality, whether or not hollow stems existed back then. . http://lonlineb.i8.com/candlestick-guide/brass-candlesticks.html says: "Before the end of the 17th century the stem and nozzle were made of one mass of solid brass, cast and turned and fastened to a base by a screw or tenon. A hole in the side of the socket allowed a lever to be inserted for ejecting the candle stub. In order to conserve metal, a technique was developed whereby the stem and socket or nozzle were cast in two vertical halves, and brazed together and fastened to the base. This left the stem hollow so that ejectors could be inserted and thus ended the era of the hole-in-the-socket ejector" But what about candlesticks without ejectors?
I don't know a lot about candlestick holders, but I do know something about the process of casting metal, and yes they did have the technology to make very thin castings in the 18th century, would they have used this technique for making castings quicker and cheaper on something such as a candlestick holder, I'm not the person to ask. Sorry
I don't know how hollow the stem might be, it's hard to tell but judging by its weight it's not thin thin. Thanks for your advice anyway.
