In 18th and 19th century America, candle making was a laborious and often smelly business. But it was an essential process for providing light and warmth to interior spaces. The methods could vary, depending on the kinds of materials available, and the desired quality of the candle.

The most common material was tallow, rendered from the fat of farm animals, primarily cattle and sheep. Tallow candles were relatively inexpensive and easy to make, but they burned with a smoky and odorous flame. The fat was melted down and strained to remove impurities. The liquid tallow was then poured into molds, usually made of tin or wood. The wicks, often made of hemp or cotton, were dipped into the melted tallow, secured, then left to harden in place as the tallow cooled.

Beeswax was often used instead of tallow. Such candles burned with a cleaner, brighter light, and produced a pleasant honey scent. The process of making beeswax candles was similar to that of making tallow candles. But the beeswax could be melted at a lower temperature to avoid scorching.

Spermaceti, a waxy substance procured from the heads of sperm whales, came into use in the 18th century, and these candles burned brighter than beeswax candles, producing very little smoke or odor. But the unsustainability of the whaling industry and the difficulties of obtaining large quantities of spermaceti limited its usefulness.

The 19th century saw several innovations in candle making. In the 1820s, a French chemist figured out how to extract stearic acid from animal fats, which then enabled candles to be made from a harder, cleaner burning wax. In the 1850s, paraffin was was develop from petroleum, and it still the most common form of wax used in candle making today. 

18th and 19th century candle molds came in various sizes and shapes, from single tube molds capable of producing one candle at a time, to multiple tube molds that could produce as many as 50 or sixty candles at once. Professional candle makers were known as chandlers, and they could produce hundreds of candles in a day’s work. Once the molds were cooled, the candles could be gently removed, and the wicks trimmed to the desired length.

In earlier times, candles were made by repeatedly dipping weighted wicks into vats of wax. But the introduction of molds significantly altered and streamlined the process. If you have a candle mold, or any other primitive or intriguing household product, we’ll be happy to take a look at it with you. Just click the link below.

www.siscoantiquesappraisals.com

Here’s a typical 19th century candle mold made of soldered tin, with tubes for 12 candles. Such a candle mold would be worth about $40 to $50 in today’s market.