I have been keeping an eye out for these funky vintage interlocking candleholders during my fleamarket and thrifting excursions in recent months. Pictured above, these were manufactured in Germany by BMF and designed by Fritz Nagel and Ceasar Stoffi around the mid 60s, and were popular into the 70s. The appeal is pretty obvious: they can be stacked and expanded with each new interlocking unit you add and look like a fusion of sculpture and functional object.They’re also the perfect thing to offset the lines of vintage modern furniture, so if you’ve got a teak sideboard that requires a bit of visual oomph, here you go.
These pop up regularly at fleamarkets here (which is where you’ll get the best prices for them; unlike German pottery of the period, plenty of German retro design lovers collect these too.) If a trip to Germany isn’t on the cards but you’d like a set anyway, add “BMF/Nagel” to your ebay search repertoire and don’t discount German sellers-if they list “Versand: Weltweit”, they’re more than likely willing to ship to you.
On Life and Lava 
I Love them too! 😀
I would like to find one of those for a reasonable price so…I will follow your advice!
Thank you for sharing your “eBay trick” 😉
Doei!
Hi there! The one thing that might be tricky is finding candles thin enough to fit in the holders (the openings are more narrow than on most candleholders available in stores today.) Have added you to my blogroll by the way, hope you don’t mind 🙂
Hello, you can buy these candles at my shop: http://www.elementkerzen.de or look at ebay germany keyword “elementkerzen”. Regards Gerrit
I adore these, they are so SpaceAge retro chic….another good one are the Dansk teeny taper holders…yu can group a lot of them together….
I’m a fan too. They make a gorgeous display. xx
I’m a big fan too! But so far I’ve been unable to thrift some at a reasonable price. On ebay in Belgium bids go up really high…
Love your blog and thanks for posting some of the AT photos of my house. It’s funny about the Nagel pieces because I carried back at least 15 of them from flea markets in Berlin (Mauer Park and Arkonaplatz in Prenzlauer Berg). You should be able to find them pretty easily for between 5 and 10 Euros. Berlin in flea market heaven! Good luck…envious of many of your ceramic pieces : )
Hi there, thanks very much for stopping by! Your home is just wonderful. All things “retro” are starting to take off price-wise in Germany too at the moment, but I think perseverence is key with the Nagel pieces. You’re right, Berlin is great fun for fleamarket fans. I live in Kassel but visit Berlin regularly and always end up hauling something back with me.
Hello Gerri, down here in a very warm Summer Time Brazil I’m, so glad that could find the BFM Nagel candle holders apropriate candles in so many colours. Do I have a chance to resgister in your shop trough English – sorry, I don’t understand German at ll though would love so – my name is Paulo Felske de Moura, my address is Rua Conde de Irajá, 271, casa 8 Vila Mariana, SP, Sâo Paulo
CEP 04119-010
My favored way to pay is trough Paypalwhere I have an acount for over 2 years by now. If you can write to me and tell hos can I registered in your shop, for sure I’l become a frequent buyer. Please answer me back, Thanks a Lot, Best Regards from a very warm sunny weather – I wshish I was over there – Bye, Paulo.
Hi Paolo,
I don’t actually sell candles (or anything else) through my blog. Please contact the seller of these candles directly through his website; I am not affiliated with him.
Regards,
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