The Sheringham Candle holder was designed by Ronald Stennett-Wilson. The iconic Sheringham candlestick has become a symbol of his ingenuity and creative prowess. We take a look at this classic piece, which actually won a Queen’s Award for Deign in 1967, along with a price guide / value guide.
Stennett-Wilson was a renowned glass designer who had been involved with the flourishing Swedish glass industry in the 1950s and this influence could be seen in his early pieces made for Kings Lynn Glass which he founded in 1967. King’s Lynn Glass would be sold to Wedgwood in 1969 but continued to produce the same range.
The Sheringham candlesticks were first released in 1967 and what has made them so iconic is that they came in a range of sizes based on the number of discs they had on their stems. These varied between one and nine discs. At the top of the stem, there is a circular dish that holds the candle. The piece has a reference number RSW13.
They were made in five colours clear, amethyst, green, blue, with a topaz colour being added later.
These examples showing the various colors were all sold at Chilcotts Auction in November 2022.
The 4,6 and 8 disc candlesticks were only made as trial pieces and are the rarest.
The tallest Sheringham candle sticks had nine discs and measures approximately 33cm (13 inches) high. These were a technical feat to create with each section being made with a separate gather of glass. Each ring of the candleholder can take three gathers so a nine ring example could include over 20 gathers, and could take two glass blowers to produce. Each ring in the stem would be perfectly proportioned to remain the aesthetic look. Due to the complexity of the nine disc they were produced in fewer numbers than the 1, 3, 5, and 7 ring examples.
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