Castle Top Chamberstick, 1844

More typically the familiar scenes from the castle top series of souvenir silverware adorn the tops of vinaigrettes, card cases and snuff boxes. Other items less commonly bear the building scenes too, but this is the first time we have encountered a chamber stick. The chamber stick has a square base with naturalistic central flower head candlestick with removable nozzle held in place by a tendril handle and a separate removable extinguisher also taking the form of a flower bud. Although light in weight, the chamberstick has survived remarkably well and is in excellent condition throughout.

Newstead Abbey, the home of the poet Lord Byron is embossed to the centre of the base with the romanticised ruins of Kenilworth Castle, Abbotsford House, Warwick Castle and Windsor Castle to each side of the square base. These five loactions were de rigueur destinations for wealthy travellers of the early Victorian period, who were taking advantage of the improved acessibility following the advent of the railways.