26-109. Wrought-Iron Splint / Rushlight Holder

Price: 795----SOLD----

Sold by Phillips and Durkin Antiques

26-109. Wrought-Iron Splint / Rushlight Holder on Wooden Stand. Probably European, late 18th to mid-19th century. A distinctive hand-wrought iron lighting device with broad, scroll-ended jaws, a riveted pivot, and a curved leaf spring. The socketed iron stem is mounted on a tapered wooden upright passing through a rounded rectangular base. Approximately 16 inches high. The iron retains a dark, oxidized surface with scattered pitting; the wood has warm brown coloration, age wear, and a longitudinal shrinkage split in the upright. An appealing example of early domestic lighting with particularly attractive blacksmith-made details.