Candlestick
Birmingham, England
1815-1830
Maker
William and Thomas Bill
Measurements
6-7/8 in x 3-3/4 in (dia)
Materials
Tinned sheet iron and brass
Credit Line
Historic Odessa Foundation, gift of H. Rodney Sharp
Accession Number
1959.3824
Inscription
"BILL" in relief within a serrated rectangle is stamped onto the top of the ejector thumbpiece.
Condition Notes
The candlestick has been electrified.
Provenance
Ex coll. H. Rodney Sharp
Comments
The candlestick is distinguished by having the maker’s name stamped onto the top of the side-ejector thumbpiece. It identifies the stick as the work of William and Thomas Bill, working in Birmingham, England, in the early 19th century, but little is known of them. For another candlestick marked Bill, see Donald L. Fennimore, Iron at Winterthur (2004), cat. no. 137b.
This candlestick is essentially indistinguishable from other marked and unmarked examples of the type. All are made of rolled sheet metal, seamed at the opening for a side ejector. This example has a brass ring or collar around the middle, which both decorates and holds the seamed metal together, as does the drip pan at the top. Unlike almost all of these candlesticks, there is no tab handle at the top.
The form is popularly called a “hogscraper” for its similarity to tools used to remove bristles from pig skins.
