Indian Wood Candle Holder

A dark turned stand rises like a chess piece with a ragged crown.

This wood candle holder is from Rajasthan, India, and dates to the 20th century. Wood is a workable, lightweight material that can be turned on a lathe or carved by hand, and local woods in Rajasthan have long been used for household objects. A tall pedestal with a broad cup at the top, a slender shaft turned with rings, and a flaring stepped foot. The surface is dark and rough, with a worn, chipped rim around the cup. It is 7.5 inches high and 2.5 in diameter.

Stately posture, roughed up in all the right places.