When Europeans travelled to foreign lands, the candlesticks they took with them often were crushed in tightly packed luggage. A fascinating subset of campaign furnishings are the items that manufacturers developed to overcome this serious problem, the most prominent and well known of which are “Brighton Buns” – a pair of travelling chamber sticks that are virtually impossible to destroy. Crafted in a vast array of materials, these pieces will be the subject of a survey that we will soon publish, and on these pages are a sampling of some prominent examples.
Fine and Rare Pair of George III Silver Traveling Chambersticks (Brighton Buns) by William Sumner, 1811
ROYAL SILVER: A Pair of George III Silver Traveling Chambersticks Thomas Heming London 1778
Height: 2 inches
Other measurements: 5 1/2 ins diameter; 16 1/4 oz (504 gms)
19th Century Silver Travel Lamp
2 1/2 ins wide
2 1/4 ins deep
5 3/4 ins high;
When fully extended,
4 3/4 ins (max width)
10 1/4 ins (max height)
A Fine and Rare Silver Travel Lamp. London 1864
Height: 5 3/4 inches
Width: 2 1/2 inches
Depth: 2 1/4 inches
Other measurements: When fully extended, 4 3/4 ins (max width) and 10 1/4 ins (max height)