candles

[Virginia Mescher]

Occasionally there have been discussion on candles and the types of candles that were available. We have just put up an article on our website on candles and I thought it might be of interest.

The link is http://www.raggedsoldier.com/candle_article.pdf. If that doesn't work, just got to www.raggedsoldier.com and click on Virginia's Veranda and go to the current article.

[Charles Hollis]

Re: candles

A very useful article, thank you for posting it.

[Charles Heath]

Re: candles

Virginia,

An excellent, and most timely article!

Although not an approved vendor, Ikea (yes, the furniture store) has recently repacked some of their Jubla-brand stearite candles, so if a person doesn't need 20 candles at a pop, they can buy just 4 at a time. The unit cost has increased slightly over the larger packages, so for those of us who buy a couple hundred at a time for issues at events, there may be a sticker shock the next time we make a ration run to Ikea at Potomac Mills.

Jubla 20 pack Stearite Chandelier Candles

Jubla 4 pack Stearite Pillar Candles

They are generally marketed as dripless "chandelier" candles, and have the hole in the bottom for a chandelier spike, such as seen on the fixture in the law office (USCC HQ's) at Winter 1864 2008, and Erasmus Hopkins' lodging at Winter 1864 2006. These candles are also fluted, which may or may not be correct. I'm assuming (danger, danger) that it is not, since the period image of a stearine candle does not show fluting. As the article states, they are brittle, but they give off a great amount of light.

The pillar candles are longer, and their claim is a 9 hour burn time. That may be pretty darn close, as the chandelier candles time out about where Ikea says they will. Both of these items are store purchase, and not available for shipping; however, if someone wants to mail order Stearite candles, then Virginia probably has some in stock deep in the Ragged Soldier offerings. Some church supply houses also stock and sell this type of candle, but I haven't seen anyone recommend any of those sources in about 10 years. Those sources may or may not have dried up.

Under the time honored implications for reenactors...this is a type of candle often mentioned in period accounts, it burns bright enough for the paperwork junkies to get their fix, and in terms of the green eye shade types fretting about ration costs, the Stearite candles (then and now) appear to be more cost effective than the beeswax candles, as a general rule. These candles do not cut or bore well (they shatter) even with a hot knife or gimlet, however, they'll snap cleanly on a line with a quick rap on a sharp table or box edge.

[Virginia Mescher]

Re: candles

Virginia,

An excellent, and most timely article!

Virginia probably has some in stock deep in the Ragged Soldier offerings.

Under the time honored implications for reenactors...this is a type of candle often mentioned in period accounts, it burns bright enough for the paperwork junkies to get their fix, and in terms of the green eye shade types fretting about ration costs, the Stearite candles (then and now) appear to be more cost effective than the beeswax candles, as a general rule. These candles do not cut or bore well (they shatter) even with a hot knife or gimlet, however, they'll snap cleanly on a line with a quick rap on a sharp table or box edge.

I'm glad the article was of assistance.

Yes, we do have the candles in stock. They are in the sundries section. One can order just one candle or as many as you like. The modern price is more cost effective than beeswax and they are very sturdy in the summer, unlike paraffin candles.

In comparing, in store ledgers, the use of stearin candles with other, the stearin candles were purchased more often than any others.

[Michael Comer]

Re: candles

I have looked at a number of church supply sites that have stearine candles. The problem with them is they are usually either in colors or have a diameter smaller than what we are wanting. I have not found any so far that would meet the basic standards of what we would probably want in the hobby.

[col90]

Re: candles

I have looked at a number of church supply sites that have stearine candles. The problem with them is they are usually either in colors or have a diameter smaller than what we are wanting. I have not found any so far that would meet the basic standards of what we would probably want in the hobby.

Well, to reiterate what she's said twice now, the ones that raggedsoldier.com sells, do meet that standard...I suggest folks read the article, then compare the originals in her article, both from the patent and the extant ones, with the ones they sell, and you'll see they do fall within period parameters.

Colleen Formby

[AZReenactor]

Re: candles

To follow up with what Charles posted, does anyone have any information on Adamentine candles being cast in the period with the fluted bases. I've used and issued the candles mentioned but had questions about the fluting that I couldn't rightly answer one way or the other.

[JustRob]

Re: candles

Those IKEA candles did good service at W'64, and I still have about 20 of them left.

I don't recall them being particularly expensive. In fact, they were down right cheap in the 20 pack.

[col90]

Re: candles

To follow up with what Charles posted, does anyone have any information on Adamentine candles being cast in the period with the fluted bases. I've used and issued the candles mentioned but had questions about the fluting that I couldn't rightly answer one way or the other.

From the raggedsoldier website, where you may order these candles: "These candles are made of 100% stearin and roughly the same appearance as period candles. The only feature we question is the fluting on the base. We have seen originals with tapered bases but the fluting is probably a modern touch to make them fit candle holders more easily." I know the research methods of the Meschers, and if they had any documentation for those fluted bases, they would definitely have posted it.

Colleen Formby

[Michael Comer]

Re: candles

Well, to reiterate what she's said twice now, the ones that raggedsoldier.com sells, do meet that standard...

Yes, being literate and able to comprehend the written word, I am well aware of that. I was responding to Charles' earlier statement about church suppliers. Perhaps I should have put that in quotes to clarify.

[AZReenactor]

Re: candles

Colleen,
I appreciate the fact that Virginia Mescher sells these adamantine/stearin candles through her shop as well as the fact that very similar adamantine/stearin candles are also available through Ikea as Charles Heath pointed out. I also appreciate the information in the article and on the Ragged Soldier Sutlery site.

With the possible exception of the fluted bases, the adamantine/stearin candles offered through Ragged Soldier Sutlery and through Ikea are apparently quite similar in dimensions and appearance to period adamantine/stearin candles. The information on the Ragged Soldier Sutlery site seems to indicate that they consider the fluted bases to be suspect as a non-authentic flaw as well. I posed my question here to see if anyone else had further information, beyond what Ms. Mescher provided, validating or invalidating the correctness of the fluted bases.

While these candles may be the best currently available, if the base fluting is indeed not period correct then it indicates that, in effort to continually improve our authenticity and accuracy, we should probably continue to look for a more correct source of candles or for a way to remedy this anachronism in the currently available candles.

[Virginia Mescher]

fluting on candles

I did not include this patent illustration in the article since it was a 1865 date but it does show the evidence of fluted candles or at least the idea of them as early as Jan. 31, 1865. The patent number of 46,197 and if you go to Google Patents do a search for that number you will find the patent picture and application. The application was for a tapered end for a candle that could be either grooved or plain so that it would fit into the socket of a candle holder better.

I'm not sure when the tapered and grooved candles were marketed but the patentee was from England that that might have made a difference as to when they were introduced into the US.

If one is concerned about the fluting, if a candle is in the candle holder, the fluting will not show.

I realize that everyone is concerned about using the most correct items in their impression but when the perfect item can not be found, we must adapt and use our modern available items since we don't have a time machine. In my opinion, the adamantine candles (even if they have fluting and are tapered on the bottom) are the best solution. They were the most purchased candles in stores. Modern paraffin candles really are not a choice since they definitely didn't have this type of paraffin candle. Tallow candles are another choice but they are more difficult to make on your own and will melt in warm weather. Beeswax candles are another choice but they were not used as much as tallow or adamantine candles and most of the beeswax candles were bleached and what is most commonly available today are the unbleached ones. Also, most modern beeswax candles may have paraffin added to the beeswax since beeswax had gotten so expensive.

I'm not encouraging the use of adamantine candles just because we sell them but because they are the best available candle for use in an impression. Everyone has to make some type of compromise in completing a correct impression and I feel that this is just one of them.

[AZReenactor]

Virginia,
Thank you for the information on US Pat. 46197 IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MOLDED CANDLES I hadn't seen it since it wasn't indexed on the United States Patent and Trademark Office or Google sites and didn't come up except when searching by number. This patent does seem to lend credence to the opinion that the fluted bases are incorrect for our time period.

I heartily agree with your assertion that adamantine/stearin candles are one of the very best choices for lighting in our era and much preferred over other types. The question of what anachronisms (seen or unseen) are an acceptable compromise has long been debated in regards to much more than candles and individuals, units, and event organizers will need to decide which compromises are acceptable for them and their particular situation. For the present, one option is certainly to make do with what is currently available while continuing to look for solutions that will obviate such compromises.

[Hank Trent]

Re: candles

Couldn't one saw off the bottom of the candle to remove the fluting, or am I picturing this wrong? Yes, it would make the candle a little shorter, but was there a very standardized length? And of course once the candle started burning, the length would be moot.

We used to have a candle lantern that was an inch too short for a batch of candles we purchased, so I've sawed off a candle or two with a coping saw.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@voyager.net

[Virginia Mescher]

Re: candles

Couldn't one saw off the bottom of the candle to remove the fluting, or am I picturing this wrong? Yes, it would make the candle a little shorter, but was there a very standardized length? And of course once the candle started burning, the length would be moot.

We used to have a candle lantern that was an inch too short for a batch of candles we purchased, so I've sawed off a candle or two with a coping saw.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@voyager.net

Commercial candles did come in standardized sizes as stated in the article but they were standard by number per pound. I haven't seen any specific length associated with the standards per pound.

We haven't tried to take off any from the end of the candle but the adamantine candles are more brittle than others and may tend to break but it would be worth a try. I agree that would solve any problem with a tapered and fluted end.