By: Robert Reed

As seen in The Antique Shoppe Newspaper, October 2006

The lowly candle probably has a greater historical connection to the celebration of Halloween than any single object, even the familiar carved face of the pumpkin.

Halloween candles were being 'toasted' in poems by the 1870s in America and by the first half of the 20th century they were being produced in novelty form to represent the whole Halloween gang of owls, witches, and so forth.

A whole range of experts from college professors to scholarly historians point out that in ancient Britain candles were used for lighting bonfires in Halloween-like events. According to custom the Celts proceeded to extinguish their home fires and then return from the ceremonial bonfire with a personal candle to rekindle their hearth fire at home.

The Celts had also originally dressed up in scary costumes at the same time for similar reasons----to ward off spirits that might be wander the earth in search of a body they might occupy.

Parts of the Halloween observation was passed on to the Romans, and the Romans in turn provided variations of it to other cultures. At some point the Halloween tradition also called a carved jack-o-lantern which was given a scary face, carved hollow and lit with a good old dependable candle.

Historic accounts suggest the carving and lighting of the jack-o-lantern came directly from the country of Ireland where turnips were commonly used for the process. Apparently emigrants to America found the pumpkin more abundant in the autumn season. So the pumpkin prevailed, but the burning candle endured.

The idea more or less remained that the candling glowing face would keep away unearthly spirits. Sometimes just the burning candle itself, placed outside in the darkness of the night was consider sufficient protection. In some countries, including Scotland, small candles were actually given out by resident as 'trick or treat' gifts to visiting children.

A popular poem written in 1872 America spoke of "where the candles bright were burning....All-Hallow's night was returning." It was entitled, The Fire That Burned So Brightly.

Early in the 20th century as the popularity of  Halloween increased in the United States, literature continued to be filled with the use of  candles, hearthstones, and of course jack-o-lanterns.

By the 1920s the Halloween candle was being offered in various forms of holiday decoration and table treats. There were Halloween candlesticks with paper comic pumpkin faces, and nut cups with Halloween candle motifs. Additionally there were numerous papier-mache lanterns (believe it or not) which held lighted candles for outside display. Besides the obvious pumpkin shape, the lanterns also took on the image of a witch, skull, devil, or black cat.

During the latter 1920s the nationally-read McCall's magazine was detailing Halloween parties for adults and quite often included candles as both part of the decoration and as part of the fun and games.

At about that same time Gurley Novelty Company had embarked on the manufactured chocolate candy figures in Buffalo, New York. According to author Robert Brenner, who has written numerous successful books on holiday collectibles, technical difficulties forced the fledgling company to switch instead to the manufacture of candles.     

The idea of holiday candles in general, and Halloween candles in particular caught on nationwide during the Great Depression days of the 1930s and the World War II days of the 1940s. Such holiday candles in shapes befitting the particular event were sold in dime stores across the country. They appeared in Grant's, Woolworth's, and in just about everybody's variety store on Main Street.

Gurley's holiday candles of paraffin were sold individually and in boxed groups. Ultimately the Halloween candles would include the jack-o-lantern, pumpkin-headed figures, owls, ghosts, black cats, witches, and variations of Halloween-related figures holding decorated pumpkins.

The Halloween candles sold individually by Gurley typically had cardboard label tags attached to the bottom of each figure. The price was encircled along with the warning, "air currents may cause drips. Place on plate while burning." Later and updated warning further explained, "to protect table, place on foil or flame proof material. Candles perform best when burned out of drafts and for short periods of time."

Fact is, many people chose not to really light Halloween (or other holiday candles from Gurley) thus sparing them from eventually melting into an unidentifiable mess. On the other hand however such candles were subject to be stored in unpleasant places over the years where excessive heat also prompted their disfigurement.

The labels also mentioned the copyright of the Gurley Novelty Company and the location of Buffalo, New York. Reportedly, according to Brenner and others, Franklin Gurley  and company were contracted by the Socony-Vacuum Oil Company to make solid-core holiday candle figures. That company which itself had begun with a merger of Standard Oil of New York and Vacuum Oil Company, would finally became Exxon Mobile.

By the 1950s Gurley was certainly one of the leading makers of holiday candles for the American marketplace. There were however others working towards the same end however including Columbia Wax Works,  Emery Industries, the Emkay Candle Company, Halo Candles, and Pacific Candle Company.

Emkay Candle Company was located in Syracuse, New York and made very similar holiday candles. Such candles were apparently misidentified in the book Vintage Halloween Collectibles by Mark Ledenbach. Later on a website the author corrected information that a witch riding a broom and a pumpkin were made by Gurley, adding, "they were probably made by Emkay, although not positive. What I do know now is that the Gurley attribution is incorrect."

Columbia Wax Works was located in Ozone Park, New York and produced various Halloween candles during the 1950s including those in boxed sets of four. Emery Industries Incorporated, located in Cincinnati, Ohio, also made boxed sets of Halloween lantern candles. Both Halo and Pacific Candle Company were located in California during the middle of the 20th century. Pacific offered boxed jack-o-lantern candles, while Halo also sold packaged jack-o-lantern candles. Halo's candles were made in Japan as were boxed sets of Halloween candles for the M. Pressner and Company of New York.

In 1953 Gurley updated their message on packages of their Halloween candles. Earlier it had simply advised that they be sold with trick or treat candies and Halloween items for bigger profits. The revised message-on-the-box urged:

"Mr. Retailer. Increase your Halloween sales by displaying these candles with other Halloween items such as Halloween candy, masks, party favors, and tricks or treats equipment."

Even more elaborate Halloween candles were produced and marketed by Gurley in the 1960s including the Witch's Brew Halloween Glow Candle. Boxed, the remarkable candle was designed to flicker and give light to the surrounding witch's cave.

"Gurley are the most desired (Halloween candles)" notes Pamela Apkarian-Russell in the comprehensive book, Halloween: Collectible Decorations and Games, "but other companies made, and make candles. Again, on the whole, Halloween candles are still very affordable for the collector on a limited budget."

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