As seen in Jane Smith’s book Santa Fe Sense of Place

The Rustic New Mexico Hanging Candelaria… a common overhead candle fixture in the earliest homes along the old Santa Fe Trail trade route. It seems I average making about 2 of these per year, and I am excited to offer this one today! These were often referred to as “arañas”…. “spiders”, because they were lowered via rope and pulley to light the candles and raised back up again as a spider climbs or descends a thread of web.

I refuse to make one of these until I find just the right wood - it has to be OLD… like reeealllly old. With character, and preferably some nail holes! Oftentimes they started out as floor or ceiling joists cut at old water or steam-powered mills… then, they spend decades soaking up the histories of lives lived within hand-built homes. Late last year I had the fortune to come upon some old ceiling beams coming out of a historic building right here on Canyon Road and Voila! suddenly I had some perfect wood to work with!

I studied original examples of these fixtures a historic living museum, and learned to make these just as the originals were made. Interlocking horizontal beams intersect in the center by the vertical beam that it hangs from. But I don’t stop there… a true Araña needs a hand-made wood pulley to facilitate the raising and lowering, and a stout wooden wall mount to hold the rope in place when the desired height has been achieved. All of these are supplied with your Araña; all meticulously hand carved and assembled by yours truly. You also get 50 feet of Manila hemp rope (plenty for most installation scenarios) attached to the Araña in a sturdy and attractive back-splice knot. And don’t forget the candles— 12 pure beeswax 8” tapers complete the package… everything you need to bring this piece of uniquely New Mexican domestic history into your home!

This wood has a very dark surface—- almost black in some areas, with some of the raised areas (marks from the old sawmill blade) worn down to a lighter wood below. In the photos, the outdoor shots have a very high contrast because of the light— the look of the wood is more accurate in the indoor photographs. There are knotholes, nailholes, stains, rough spots, scratches… you name it. This wood has a history; a history that will live on through this one-of-a-kind handmade work of art. This Candelaria is “heftier” than some of my earlier models— when I find stout wood, it stands to reason that the Candelaria should make the most of the precious old wood! It measures 29” across, end-to-end, and 18” tall. It is signed and numbered and dated on a copper label (on an upper surface that is not seen when the Candelaria is hung). Installation instructions and hardware are included.

I don’t recommend that the candles be lit…. in the old days, when the floors were hard-packed dirt, a little (or alot) of dripping candle wax didn’t do any harm. Nowadays that hot wax could do some real damage to your rugs and furnishings, not to mention the risk of fire, so I strongly recommend this be used strictly for decoration. There are some very good remote-controlled, battery operated LED candles available on Amazon, and I’m happy to give you recommendations on those if you like, as well as tips for safe installation of your Candelaria (if you are in Santa Fe I may be able to deliver and assist in installation, time permitting).

These aren’t available often; if you like it, order now… it may be gone in a minute!

*The last photo in the series in not of this Candelaria, but one of the originals hung in one of the old rooms at Rancho de las Golondrinas.

This piece cannot be shipped. For pickup at my studio or delivery within Santa Fe ONLY. You will be contacted to arrange those details after purchase.