Written by Hannah Summers | 7 October 2024
Take a deep dive into Catawiki search trends and you’ll find some fascinating stuff. The latest? In just one year, between 2023 and 2024, there’s been a big surge in searches for STOFF Nagel, the iconic candlestick that was designed in the early 1960s.
The candlestick’s original iteration was intended to blend practicality, design and creativity: “The S22, as it is officially called, is a proven iconic piece of mid-century design. It’s flexible, high-quality, and sustainable,” Jochen Kloeters, design expert at Catawiki, explains. “It’s regarded not just as a candlestick, but as a decorative object.” And its appeal isn’t just for those keen on a sophisticated statement in their home. “It’s particularly interesting for younger collectors, or students, as they may be on a budget,” he adds. “It means they can buy a piece of design history at a very affordable price, and then expand their collection little by little.”
Searches for the S22 candlestick on Catawiki increased by 433% in 2024, compared to 2023. This uptick comes at a time when chrome furniture is making a comeback thanks to its versatility and the immediate sophistication it adds to spaces. And while the interest in STOFF Nagel candlesticks has as much to do with the original design, the 2015 relaunch of the candlestick from designer Bine Lind has only contributed to its resurgence in popularity. Today, the candleholder appeals to a new generation of design enthusiasts.
Here we explore the origins of the design and its revival, and we call on the experts to find out how you can secure an original of your own.
Origins: Stoff, Nagel and the original design philosophy
The iconic candle holder’s beginnings date back to the early 1960s when the architect and designer Werner Stoff collaborated with Hans Nagel. Hans Nagel’s background was in metalworking, and the German CEO of Nagel Company pictured a piece that could blend functionality with an artistic statement, creating something that would become a fixture in homes across Europe.
Then there was Stoff, a trained architect whose designs featured clean lines and flexibility – important elements in post-war Europe. The Nagel family approached Stoff to create something with these principles that would mark a new, more optimistic post-war era. The result was a candleholder that embodied mid-century design trends while combining minimalism and Brutalism.
The modular system was new and exciting for people in the '60s and '70s – it encouraged stacking, configuration, and re-arrangements, encouraging the owner to be creative. Each holder, which was either chrome or brass, would slot together easily with other units, meaning the candleholder was always adaptable to where it was placed and how it wanted to be used in that particular moment. The result? The chrome candleholder became one of the most famous centrepieces in homes, galleries, and offices, and showed how practical objects could be hugely artistic and decorative, too.
The glory days for the STOFF Nagel were relatively short-lived, however. As trends evolved in the 70s and 80s, the minimalist mid-century design aesthetic became less appealing. Without the demand from customers, time was called on its production.
A star reborn
The 2010s saw a major revival for mid-century modern design, and with it came the appeal for timeless pieces. In 2015, the design company STOFF Copenhagen restarted the production of the candleholder under the name STOFF Nagel. “The vision has always been to transform the design from being perceived only as a candleholder (in the 60s and 70s) to being perceived today as a sculptural and individual object, where candles can be added to the sculpture, while not being limited to this function,” says Bine Lind, STOFF Nagel CEO & Founder.
“We designed the relaunch edition 1:1 from the original drawings and actually even more accurately than they did back in the 1960s,” Lind explains. “In the sixties, a production line occurred across the three domes of the candleholder, which was too costly to remove back then. We polish the line away, and therefore the relaunch edition is more like the original design envisioned by Werner Stoff and Hans Nagel.”
Today, it’s important for the new STOFF Nagel founder that people can use the more recent version of the candleholder with their collection of antique candleholders – which are now considered collectables and heirlooms. At the same time, new generations – perhaps previously unaware of the 1960s candleholder – have become acquainted with STOFF Nagel through the relaunch.
Despite the decades that exist between the two iterations, the candleholder does not ever seem to go out of style. The original designs then inspired the expansion of the STOFF Nagel collection – with new colours and materials, and updates including a vase and wall hanger, which Lind sees as a natural extension of the candleholder. “We don’t want to dilute the concept by introducing many new design initiatives, but wish to stay true to the concept. That’s why we focus on the products that were already a part of the collection back in the 1960s,” says Lind. The bowl, for example, which was originally designed as an ashtray, has been introduced as a product – without any adaptations to the design – and it’s sold as a decorative object. “In this way,” says Lind, “we reintroduce the objects that we think have a place today, but perhaps with a different purpose than originally envisioned.”
How to find your own STOFF Nagel candleholder
What exists today is a candleholder that is as universal and timeless as it was back in the 60s. “Design pieces such as the STOFF Nagel candlestick add what wecall “the last layer” when accessorising a space,” says Lind. “The design celebrates the desire to decorate your home with a very personal touch.”
Interested in creating your own collection? The s22 candlesticks are auctioned almost every week on Catawiki – often in German design auctions, so these are the ones to keep an eye on. “Most of the candleholders on the site are originals from the 1960s and 1970s,” Kloeters tells us. “Use the search terms S22, Nagel Konzept and Werner Stoff, and you may find your own for €20 a piece, which is the average spend.”Beware of unlicensed copies on other platforms – on Catawiki, all lots are approved by experts, so there’s no risk of buying a fake.
Home decor and design is often an evolution – something you want to add to and personalise over time. Classic, investment pieces like the candleholder have become items that you can build a room around – pieces that can evolve with you and your home and your lifestyle through the decades. As Bine Lind says, “When design is personal, it is timeless.” The vintage and newly designed STOFF Nagel candleholders are the perfect example of that.
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