inventaire Mobilier

@ Ministère de la Culture

The rushlight's story

Along the Atlantic coast, from France to Ireland via southern England, and further east in the Alps, there existed the rural ancestor of the candlestick.
It is called a rushlight. Its geographic origins tell us about its unique feature: a clamp, sometimes accompanied by a socket, held a splinter of wood taken directly from the tree. While beeswax candles were reserved for special occasions, the resinous splinter quietly lit the hearth of country homes. For reading, cooking, or keeping watch… An inventory of the shapes and techniques of this humble lighting, a witness to extraordinary craftsmanship and a vanished rural world.

The clamps, rods, and footings embody an extraordinary variety of forms and techniques, often deeply rooted in the traditions of a particular region. Excerpt.

@ Ministère de la Culture

Material
Wrought iron, sometimes combined with wooden elements.

Dimensions
Variable (approximately 20 to 50 cm).

Structure
Single or double rod, conical or cylindrical wrapped socket, fixing clamp, sometimes with a base (circular or ring-shaped) or a footing (tripod, cruciform, arched, or curved).

Clamp shape
Rectangular, triangular, spoon-shaped, heart-shaped, T-shaped, V-shaped, scrolls, pointed…

Ornamentation
Sometimes decorated with simple motifs: scrolls, twists, balusters, crooks.

Manufacturing
Handcrafted work, often carried out by village blacksmiths. The simplest models were forged in one or two hours, while the largest could take several days.

Use
Placed on a table, in the fireplace, or fixed to a surface to provide localized lighting for a workspace or living area (beam, window frame, etc.).

@ Ministère de la Culture

Your cart (0)

Added to your favorites (0)

The rushlight's story

Related Articles

Alexandre Gury’s Forge, by Jamie Hawkesworth