Chalet Candleholders

Chalet candleholders were made in  a variety of styles and colours – heavy crystal pulled sommerso, elegant cranberry and crystal, hand molded ribbed “powder puffs”, clear crystal ”ice floe” multi holders and single crystal droplets as well as hand molded pieces that are very similar to the Chalet bomboniere.  The difference between the 2 being that the bases of the candleholders as opposed to the same form in the bomboniere is that the candleholder form has either a flat (not a gently rounded base) or a sturdy footed base so that this form could sit safely when a candle was inserted. Some of the flat bases were polished smooth without cross hatch marks while others have the typical grid pattern.

The candleholders are found with a variety of markings – the etched “Chalet Canada” signature, the etched “FASCINATION PAR C.M” signature, the hang tag from the ” Canadiana Cranberry” line, the small gold foil “Lead Crystal” sticker that is often seen on ”Canadian Heritage Glass” pieces and the N.C. Cameron and Sons and the Chalet/Riekes Crisa labels.

 As with the majority of Chalet forms, especially the rare and scarce, we have limited information about these pieces. However, we are fortunate to have a little more than usual! What do we know?  We know that Chalet made candleholders from 1962 onward as 2 sommerso styles are featured in the 1962 Chalet Artistic Glass “Items Available” sales brochure. In addition, other styles were production pieces and appear in distributor catalogs and later Chalet sales brochures. Lastly, we now know that they were part of the Chalet product offered by the Bay.

The 1962 sales brochure.

A 1968 Hudson’s Bay advertisement in the Edmonton Journal:

Unfortunately there is no picture of the set that the Bay was offering so we cannot see the style but it is another peek into the past. Moreover, this is the only time that I have seen them advertised. Their regular price in 1968 at $17.00 is the equivalent to $141.91 in 2023. The 1968 sale price of $9.99 translates to $83.39 today. The Edmonton Journal is a division of the Postmedia Network, Inc.

This “tornado” style is one of two of the earliest candle holders made by Chalet. Seen in the “Items Available” production sheet as production piece #C41. This early C41 “tornado” from the collection of 50 Shades member Alex Wicks. An amazing thrift store score!

We have seen an evolution in style in many of the early production forms and C41 is no exception.  

You can see both the similarity and advancement in design when comparing the two pieces.

Etched “Chalet Canada.”

The later “tornado” style is more frequently found and they have been found in a range of colours – olive, amber, honey gold….

This set of later  C41 “tornado” from the collection of 50 Shades member Deborah Patterson.

 And an incredible one in the most stunning of oranges – a “tornado” that you wouldn’t mind touching down in your house!

From the collection of 50 Shades member Troy Danby. To date, the only one in orange of which I know.

A close up look at a Chalet “tornado” from the top side.

A slight variation in the “tornado” styling – a little taller and less squat. Interestingly, the majority of these found have been etched with the FASCINATION PAR C.M. signature.

This stunning set is from the collection of  avid candleholder afficionado and 50 Shades member Malla Birns.

Also etched FASCINATION PAR C.M. From the collection of Sylvain Dube.

Another lovely FASCINATION PAR C.M. set. From the collection of 50 Shades member Jonathan Tremblay.

Marked FASCINATIO PAR C.M. as well. This cranberry set is exceptionally rare.

And a recent discovery of this “hybrid molar/tornado” melded style:

Candle holder on left upside down to better show twist. Candle holder on right is upright. Both etched “Chalet Canada.” From the collection of 50 Shades member Troy Danby.

They have also been found in amber and red.

From the collection of 50 Shades member Jonathon Tremblay.

C44 is the second style of candleholders shown in the 1962 Chalet Artistic Glass “Items Available” brochure as seen above .

Another set from the collection of Sylvain Dube. Etched “Chalet Canada.” Exceedingly rare – the only set to date that I know of in this style.

Remember, Chalet did not give their pieces descriptive names – only production/inventory numbers. Rather, “naming” is something that we collectors have done. We call this style of candleholder  “the molar”. Although rare, it is the other of 2 styles seen most often with the “tornado” (above) being the other. And again, like with the “tornado style”, we have found this styling of candleholder in a wide range of colours. And, most amazingly, a gorgeous 2 tone.

This stunning set is etched “Chalet Canada” and is also from the collection of  Malla Birns. To date, it is the only 2 tone set that we have seen.

From the collection of the Zhao family.

A red Chalet “molar” is very rare. From the collection of 50 Shades member Karin Martin.

I am lucky enough to have these in my personal collection. Etched “Chalet Canada.”

And these as well. Also etched “Chalet Canada.”

Stunning in orange. From the collection of 50 Shades member Gionny Gueli.

The following 2 styles are still sommerso in production but are of very different design.. Even more rare.

My “name” for this style is the “Chalet pincher candleholder.” To date, the only ones like this seen.

 And I call this style the “Chalet stretch candleholder.”

Once more, Malla Birns is lucky enough to have this beauty in her collection. We have also seen a set in this style. Again in amber.

Cranberry in crystal elegance. Each holder in this set retain their original Chalet/Riekes Crisa label.

The hand molded “powder puff”  candleholders were carried in two lines. We see them with hang tags from Chalet’s “Canadiana” Cranberry.”

And then featured in Chalet’s
”Canadian Heritage Glass” line.

Clear crystal “bomboniere” candleholders were carried and distributed by N.C. Cameron and Sons in Canada and by Riekes Crisa in the United States.

In an undated catalogue, Riekes Crisa described this Chalet produced inventory as “Candleholders and Novelty Assortments”

From the collection of 50 Shades member Ella Hanks.

Carried in their 1976 catalogue (very ironic as this was after Chalet’s closure in 1975), the swan candleholder was one of the 6 pieces in “Assortment 7261-69.”

The body shape is identical to its bomboniere counterpart but with a flat polished base. This one retains the remnant of a boutique label over the original Chalet/Riekes sticker. The swan candleholder is shown with the Chalet “Decorator Spruce Trees” and ring tree that Riekes carried.

More Riekes assortments (bottom of page) of the Chalet product. Again, this inventory is from the 1976 catalogue.

We have absolutely no information about these exceedingly rare molded “ice” forms. In both cases, to date, they are the only forms like these that we have seen. Both the multi and the singles are etched with the “Chalet Canada” signature.

From the collection of 50 Shades member Linton Meyer.

Lorraine Glass Industries (Montreal, 1962-1974) also produced sommerso glass candleholders. In at least two styles – production #552 and #553.. They are featured in two of the catalog pages that we have for that company.

EDAG, Rossi and Altlaglass also produced candleholders.

EDAG produced 2 designs of candleholders. This one is very elegant.

I began this article by saying that we do not have a lot of documented information regarding candleholders and candlesticks. So, it is fitting that I leave you with a question. This is a page from the 1976 Riekes catalog. Very poorly laid out with little description as you can see. My question is:

Could the clear crystal candleholders at the bottom of the page be Chalet pieces? Others, the poodle (beside) them, the cranberry and crystal compote (above them) and the cranberry and crystal basket (top right) are verified Chalet. The styling and clear crystal do not rule out the possibility! To date, neither stickered proof nor a discovered piece. Love to hear your take on this.

Sales brochure courtesy of 50 Shades member Mario Panizzon.

A “powder puff” candleholder from the collection of Deborah Patterson. They have also been found in olive.

Sturdy footed base for stability. From the collection of Deborah Patterson.

The swan candle holder came in 2 different sizes (4” and 6 ½”) and could be purchased on their own. Production numbers #7312-69 and #7305-69.

A second swan candleholder. Same flat base but this piece’s base has cross hatch marks from the mold - unlike the smooth base of the swan shown above. One of my favourite sayings is, “The only consistency with Chalet is its inconsistency.” Photograph courtesy of the Cornwall Community Museum.

From the collection of Deborah Patterson.

This set of Lorraine #553 candleholders also from the collection of Malla Birns. They are the only verified Lorraine candleholders that I know of to date.

We see this style from Altaglass in a wide variety of colours as well as in clear coloured glass.

A lovely Rossi swan bomboniere style candleholder. Note the interior. From the collection of 50 Shades member Gionny Gueli.

4 styles of Rossi candleholders.

Lovely EDAG piece.

This holder retained this particular Chalet label.