The romance of living in early America and using old fashioned candles to light your way and to read by in the evenings was just not as romantic if compared to the invention of the Victorian kerosene lamps that followed. Having researched many interiors of PA Dutch Colonial American mansions, I have noticed the practicality of staircases that have adjoining candle shelves, in which householders could pick up a candle holder to light the way as you were going to bed. Some candle mantel shelves were about 4 or 5 feet long and must have accommodated a number of tin or pottery candle holders for the entire family!
A dubious fire hazard, many of us are lucky that our ancestors survived fire hazards during the early American years; responsible and careful old-time citizenry. In today’s modern age, we are still plagued with unfortunate house fires in spite of being blessed with more modern electricity methods. Having examined a number of tin and pottery candleholders, even collecting some, of the 18th and 19th Centuries, I prize the unique Stahl hurricane candleholders which were copied from early American examples. Later, made famous by Russell Stahl and continued from his father’s craft (Isaac) in the 1950s, Russell made a very artistic model.
Designed with a handle behind the turned vessel type pottery shield, these hurricane candle holders were more practical, protecting the lighted candle inside from drafts or wind as a person travels upstairs or throughout the rest of the home. The early Isaac Stahl hurricane lamps with narrow shields to protect the candle flame were widened later by his son, Russell, whom made more artistic vessel shields glazed in blue, as opposed to his father’s earlier glazes done in brown in the 1940s, a more typical type for redware pottery.
However, no other earthenware potters duplicated this unique American candleholder’s style. But being clay potters from Lehigh County, this hurricane shield feature may only have been indicative of the Lehigh Valley. However, the Stahls remained true to their art of duplicating 18th Century folk art of their fellow PA Dutch potters.
Richard L.T. Orth is assistant director of the American Folklife Institute in Kutztown.
