THE 411
I often get the question, ‘What companies/products compete with kaarsKoker?’ I feel I owe everyone a proper explanation by elaborating on the history of the candle sleeve, or candle cover, and the options pre-kaarsKoker. designboom offers a concise background on the evolution of the chandelier from candlelit to electric. The candle sleeve, or candle cover, is a chandelier part that was created for electric lighting to simulate the design effect of the original chandeliers lit exclusively by wax candles. The candle sleeves were paper and often detailed with faux dripping wax and ivory or beige in color. It is my assumption that plastic candle sleeves became more prevalent post-WWII with the rise of mass-produced plastics (think The Graduate). Metal and porcelain candle sleeves have always been an option and were originally handmade. Beeswax candle covers were introduced in the last decade and were considered the most elegant option. The beeswax style really brought the candle sleeve full-circle as it uses wax just as a real candle, which evokes the look of the original candlelit fixtures. In addition to the lack of innovation and style, the challenge with metal, porcelain, glass and beeswax is they are not flexible in terms of length! Sure they come in 1″ increments but I have trimmed 1/4″, 1/2″, 2-1/2″ off countless kaarskoker to custom fit fixtures both new and old. So the question remains: What companies/products compete with kaarsKoker?
Tags: beeswax candle, candle cover, candle covers, candle sleeves, chandelier history, glass, plastic sleeves, porcelain, The Graduate