Vintage Price’s Patent Candle Company “Old English Perfumed Candles” Tin (Made in England, c.1970s–1980s Reproduction of 1850 Design)
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This delightful vintage tin from Price’s Patent Candle Company Ltd, London, holds a part set of twelve original red perfumed candles still wrapped in their pleated paper liner, just as they were sold. Decorated in elegant Victorian revival style, it proudly reads “From an original design circa 1850” — a respectful homage to the company’s early advertising artwork.
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The tin features ornate scrollwork, cherubic figures, and a charming vignette of two gentlemen in period dress — one holding a candleholder, the other dressed in a naval-style uniform. The detailed illustration captures the refinement of mid-19th-century English domestic life, when candlelight was a daily necessity and candle design symbolised innovation, progress, and luxury.
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🕯️ About Price’s Patent Candle Company
Founded in 1830 by William Wilson and Benjamin Lancaster, Price’s Patent Candle Company revolutionised candle-making in the 19th century. Based in Battersea, London, the company was established at a time when candles were made almost exclusively from tallow — a smoky, odorous, and expensive material.
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Price’s pioneered the use of sperm oil, coconut oil, and later stearine, which burned longer and cleaner. In 1830 they secured a patent for the chemical purification of glycerine and stearic acid, a breakthrough that not only transformed candle-making but also led to early developments in the production of soap and other industrial materials.
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By the 1840s, Price’s was one of the world’s largest candle manufacturers, employing over 2,000 people and exporting to all corners of the British Empire. Their advertising and packaging — often featuring elegant Victorian scenes and gold embellishments like those reproduced here — helped establish their image as both scientifically advanced and quintessentially British.
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Price’s candles illuminated royal palaces, stately homes, and the cabins of ocean liners such as those of the White Star Line. They also played a vital role during periods of industrial expansion and in everyday life before the advent of electric lighting.
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The company earned its Royal Warrant early in the Victorian period and continues to hold the title “By Appointment to Her Majesty the Queen Candlemakers”, as proudly shown on the lid of this tin beneath the Royal Coat of Arms.
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In later years, Price’s was acquired by Shell-Mex and BP, and later by Italian candle makers Cereria Sgarbi, but its heritage remains a cornerstone of British candle-making tradition.
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🕯️ Design and Dating
This tin was produced during the 1970s–1980s, when Price’s reissued a number of their heritage designs to celebrate the firm’s historic origins. The reproduction draws from an original 1850 lithographed advertisement, hence the phrase “From an original design circa 1850” printed along the top edge.
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The combination of cream enamel background, Victorian decorative motifs, and deep red lettering evokes the high-quality packaging of Britain’s industrial and commercial golden age. Its cylindrical shape and lift-off lid are typical of mid-century tin packaging, made to preserve the candles’ fragrance and protect them during storage.
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🕯️ Condition and Collectibility
Condition: Very good vintage condition with only minor age-related marks. The original paper wrapping and 12 red perfumed candles are still intact and unused — rare for surviving examples.
Materials: Lithographed tinplate, wax candles
Dimensions: Approx. 20 cm tall × 8 cm diameter
Markings: “By Appointment to Her Majesty the Queen, Candlemakers — Price’s Patent Candle Company Limited, London”
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🕯️ Why Collect It
Collectors and interior enthusiasts value Price’s tins for their blend of industrial heritage, domestic nostalgia, and graphic artistry. This piece embodies the Victorian spirit of invention and British craftsmanship, making it a wonderful decorative item for period homes, vintage displays, or anyone passionate about the history of everyday objects.
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It also tells the story of how one company’s innovations helped bring affordable, smokeless, and beautifully crafted light to millions — a story literally and figuratively illuminating Britain’s industrial age.
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A timeless keepsake from one of Britain’s oldest candlemakers — a symbol of craftsmanship, innovation, and Victorian charm, captured in a beautifully designed collectible tin.