A handmade terracotta candlestick holder shaped like a Swedish Dala horse, carved with folk-style flowers in sgraffito and finished under a clear glaze.
The making: Hand-built in our garden shed in Scotland from rustic terracotta clay. The horse is shaped by hand into a closed form with a small candleholder set into the back, brushed with white slip, and then carved through the slip with the sgraffito technique to draw flowers and folk-style detail. Green and blue underglazes pick out the floral elements before a transparent glaze goes over the whole piece and the holder is kiln-fired.
How it looks: The horse silhouette reads warm against the carved white slip, with the terracotta showing through wherever the sgraffito lines cut. Small green and blue painted flowers sit across the body, and the clear glaze pulls everything into a soft gloss. A single candlestick sits upright in the back — functional, but you’d be forgiven for keeping it as sculpture.
Use it for:
- A dinner table centrepiece with a single tall taper
- A mantel or sideboard as a small piece of folk art
- A bedside table with a quiet candle on a winter evening
- A gift for someone who collects Scandinavian folk pieces
- A windowsill marker with an unlit candle when not in use
A considered gift for the friend who lights candles on a Tuesday — birthdays, housewarmings, or simply because.
Care: Dust with a soft cloth; spot-clean with a slightly damp cloth and dry immediately. Avoid harsh chemicals.
Size:
- Dimensions available on request
- Holds one standard candlestick
- Handmade — small variations are part of the character
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