Bridget Shell Stoneware Candle Holder - Grey

This grey candle holder is made entirely of stoneware and shaped like an opening fan or a scallop shell. A rounded body rises to a narrow neck that takes a single taper candle, and six rounded arms reach out from its sides, three each way, finishing in soft, closed tips. The surface is glossy and mottled, flecked with darker speckles and fine streaks that run down towards the base. It stands 19.5cm tall and measures 20.5cm long and 10cm wide, so the fan shows broad and full from the front while taking little depth on a shelf or mantelpiece.

We would place it where its front is on show: a hallway console, a sideboard, a mantelpiece or a deep windowsill. The sea-creature outline sits happily beside woven rattan and plain painted walls, and it gives a room a quiet coastal note without any seaside cliché. On a dining table it makes a single sculptural centrepiece for an evening, and on a bedside table or bookshelf it keeps its character unlit, reading as a small piece of ceramic sculpture in its own right. It suits anyone who prefers organic, irregular forms to smooth, plain shapes, and it makes a thoughtful gift for a friend who collects ceramics.

Stoneware is a dense ceramic fired at high temperatures, and at 0.76KG this piece has a reassuring weight in the hand. The arms are closed at their tips, so the neck is the only opening, and the glossy, speckled surface carries from the rim of the neck down to the foot. No candle comes with it, and the styling props shown are not included. For styling, choose a plain taper in a pale, soft tone so the speckled surface holds the attention, or try a twisted taper for a touch of movement against those curving arms. A pair standing at either end of a sideboard looks considered without feeling formal.

What is the candle holder made of?

It is made of 100% stoneware, a dense ceramic, and it weighs 0.76KG, so it has a good, solid feel for its size.

How big is it?

It is 20.5cm long, 10cm wide and 19.5cm tall, so it sits comfortably on a mantelpiece, a sideboard or a deep windowsill.

Does it come with a candle?

No. The holder comes on its own; the candles shown are styling props and are not included, so you will need a taper candle of your own.

How many candles does it hold?

It holds one taper candle, in the narrow neck at the top. The six arms are closed at their tips and are purely decorative.

What colour is it?

It is grey, with a glossy, mottled surface flecked with darker speckles and fine streaks running down towards the base.