A snuffer is an implement used in the care of candles. The term covers two distinct tools: scissor-like wick trimmers, often called candle snuffers, which cut and catch the charred end of the wick in a small box on one blade, and the cone-shaped extinguisher on a handle used to put out a flame without blowing.
Before the introduction of self-consuming plaited wicks in the early nineteenth century, tallow and wax candles needed frequent trimming to prevent smoking and guttering, so scissor snuffers were an essential household item from the seventeenth century onwards. They were made in steel, brass, Sheffield plate and silver, often with a matching tray or stand, and fine Georgian silver examples were made by leading silversmiths. Cone extinguishers were fitted to chamber candlesticks and also used on long poles to reach high sconces and chandeliers in churches and great houses. As improved candles made trimming unnecessary, scissor snuffers fell out of use. Collectors look for crisp marks on silver examples, good working springs and hinges, and complete sets with original trays. Snuffers make attractive small additions to a collection of antique candlesticks and lighting.
