Edition #20: Candle Huggers
Something to keep your tapers company.
Candles became pretty ubiquitous in home decor once we no longer needed them to actually see things. The taper candle is the most ancient of shape, dating back to 3000 BC. Now, these elongated candles sit on dining room tables, at fancy restaurants, or even just nestled in candlesticks on bookshelves. You can find them in all sorts of colors and even shaped into squiggles or twisted like fusilli pasta, which give a little more oomph to the…classic (read: a little boring) shaped wax. But if you’re looking for more visual interest, try a Candle Hugger (aka a Candle Climber). These paired figurines were shaped with rings to easily slide over a taper candle to rest near the base. Lots of them are holiday-themed, but there are plenty for those that just want something a little silly for their tapers.
2 ~ Cherub Angels Porcelain Bisque Taper Candle Huggers Climbers Vintage 4" on eBay: There are a lot of angel huggers to choose from, some more holiday-themed than others. These are giving that soft romance trend of the ‘90s.
Vintage Norcrest Butterfly Candle Huggers, Bougie Spring Decor, 2 Butterflies, Candle Rings, Hostess Gift, Elegant Kitsch, Grannycore Charm on Etsy: The Y2K style is so prevalent in the home decor space that I’d be surprised that these don’t show up in someones Apartment Therapy tour in the next few months.
Adorable Holt Howard bluebird candle huggers, vintage, ceramic, blue, pink, and white, Spring décor on Etsy: Holt Howard collectibles are all over Etsy and eBay, with candle huggers like these but also salt and pepper shakers, condiment dishes, and more.
Vintage 1970s pair hand-painted ceramic clown candle huggers on eBay: Who doesn’t love a clown? Okay, a decent amount of people hate them but these ones are adorable.
Vintage Bride And Groom 1950,s Candle Climbers Candle Huggers Set Of 2 on eBay: If you’re looking for a unique wedding cake topper, why not add a couple taper candles and these huggers to really lean into the kitsch.
Vintage Porcelain Cat Candle Hugger Pair of Figurines Figures on eBay: I’m not a cat person but I feel like any cat person in your life would love these little cat figurines to sit on their candles.
Pair of 1950s Vintage Lefton Mermaid Lusterware Candlestick Hugger Figurines Made In Japan on Etsy: The amount of Japanese exported ceramicwares that I’ve featured is insane, but everything is so good.
Vintage Japan White Pixie Elf Cat Devil Girl Porcelain Candle Huggers-gold Trim on eBay: Are these cats? Devils? Just cute little pixies? Who knows but I truly love the small mustache detail.
Vintage Ceramic Atomic Cat Candle Huggers Climbers Japan Set Of 2 on Etsy: Okay these could make me into a cat person, specifically because I love that these are clearly people in cat costumes.
Vintage Holt Howard Anthropomorphic Chicken Rooster Candle Hugger Figurines on eBay: I’m not sure having a feather that close to an open flame is a good idea. These little chickens really are just so precious.
Honorable Mentions:
What terms were searched:
Candle huggers
Candle climbers
Taper candle rings
Welcome to Finder’s Keepers
This is the newsletter dedicated to leaving no vintage stone unturned. Each edition will cater to a rabbit hole that I fell down one night and include an assortment of vintage finds that make you question “Why did anyone own this?” followed quickly by “Should I own this?”
My method is simple: I attach a keyword or phrase to the item and go digging, spending hours each week combing through hundreds of pages of Etsy and Ebay bric-a-brac. It’s chaotic but satisfactory, like looking through every rack and bin at a thrift store for those that partake in the more visceral act of going in person. I like to sit on my couch.