Salomon French Provincial Balance Scale Candle Holder, Aged Gold Metal

An old balance scale reworked to cradle two candles, one on each swinging pan.

Salomon takes the shape of a 19th-century balance scale and turns it into a candle holder. A turned metal column rises from a stepped domed base to a pivoting beam, and from each end a slim wire arm drops to a shallow dish. The finish is an aged gold worn back to a darker base on the raised edges, the patina you see on a piece that has sat on a shelf for decades.

It stands 56.5 cm tall, so it reads as a centrepiece rather than a small accent. Set it on a console, a mantel, or a dining table and let the two pans rest at slightly different heights, the way a real scale never quite settles. Pillar candles, tealights in glass, or a few small found objects all suit the dishes. Candle not included.

Why we love it

• ◆ Shaped like an old balance scale, it brings a library and apothecary note to a room without feeling like a museum piece.
• ◆ Aged gold over a dark base, with riveted joints and coiled-spring hangers that hold the antique look up close.
• ◆ Two dishes, two candles, or swap in tealights or small trinkets, and the pans pivot so you can angle them how you like.
• ◆ A talking point for collectors of curiosities, and an easy gift for anyone drawn to French farmhouse and vintage styling.

How to style it

A few ways to bring it into a room:

• Centre it on a console with a stack of old books and a candle in each pan, alongside your other candle holders
• Set it on a mantel and let the uneven pans add a little movement to a symmetrical shelf
• Group it with dried stems in a vase and a small framed print for a layered tabletop
• Fill the dishes with tealights for a dinner, then go back to pillars day to day

Care & Keeping

Dust gently with a soft dry cloth. Keep it indoors and away from damp so the aged gold finish stays put, and lift it rather than drag it across surfaces, since the dishes and arms are light metal. If you burn real candles, use well-fitted pillars or tealights in glass, and never leave a flame unattended.

Because Salomon is hand-finished, slight variations in patina and gold coverage are natural and add to the character of each piece. Colour may also vary slightly between screens, all photography is taken in natural light.