04-020.
Found on May 18, 2004 in Saint Paul, MN.
Jens Quistgaard
Candleholder
Dansk Designs, Ltd.
Denmark, c. 1955
4.25 x 4.25 x 7"
Iron & brass
Manufacturer's mark
Jens Quistgaard designed many items for decorating a modern table over the course of his career. This particular piece—a candelabra for 8 thin candles, with stick-straight stems just ever-so slightly flared at the top—is typical of his Danish modern design aesthetic. Understated, not too adorned, but having a beauty in its simplicity of form and suburb use of simple materials.
Its refined shape and polished brass accents are a great contrast for the base material of the piece: rough cast iron with black patination. Quistgaard used this material for most of his candle holders. The matte finish looks great in conjunction with a flickering candle. The only negative aspect I can see in this design is the difficulty of cleaning dripped candle wax off the rough surface of the iron.
duncan Farnan commented: - the trick with wax is to harden it so it flakes off -- a couple of hours in the freezer does nicely. Then all you you need is a mitted hand and a bare fingernail to flick the wax off. Works perfectly with ceramic and well enough with cast iron