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Light my Fire with Gurley Candles As a child growing up in a Catholic home, candles became synonymous with holidays for me. We had advent candles, wreath candles, Santa Claus candles, Christmas tree candles and even choir boy candles. In other words we were inundated with candles. So I decided to find out who was behind this candle craze.
The candle business received a huge Boost when the Socony Vacuum Oil Co. of Los Angeles hired Gurley to make candles for them during the late 1930s and 1940s. These candles were made out of paraffin, a by-product of oil refining that was normally disposed of. So, what you had was a classic example of two businesses working together to solve their problems. The oil company could dispose of its excess at a profit while the candle company received a large supply of cheap material and access to a large market distribution. As a result of the partnership, Gurley candles were sold under the brand name Tavern Candles. Soon the candles were on the shelves of Macy’s, Woolworths, Grants and every other dime store, drug store and gas station across America. Because of their material and endless supply, the candles were very inexpensive. So cheap, in fact, they became part of promotional giveaways such as the five- and-a-half-inch Santa you received every time you purchased a seven-ounce bottle of liquid Prell. So families of modest means could celebrate the holidays with these festive candles. The question remains why the candles were never lit. I think the fact maybe that they first hit the market during the depression, and because they were decorative figurines, people treated them like ornaments rather than candles. This tradition not only proved to be practical but also healthy. Today we know that the burning of paraffin wax can cause soot deposits along with residue that’s next to impossible to remove. It also contaminates indoor air quality by emitting petrochemicals. This is good news for collectors because the candles—when found—are usually in good to mint condition. Collectors like to find the candle still in Tavern Candle original boxes with the bottom label still in tact. The labels usually stated the copyright of the Gurley Novelty company along with the price and a caution such as “ air currents may cause drips. Place on plates while burning.” The caution was revised in later years to “to protect table, place on foil or flame proof material.” The rarer candles would be the noel mail boxes or an African American choir boys. Any of these found in mint to good condition with box are worth between forty and fifty dollars. Good luck on your treasure hunt and Merry Christmas! For more info on Gurley candles see:
—Frank
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Boom
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The
person behind this obsession was a chemist named Franklin C. Gurley.
In the late 1920s, the Gurley Novelty Company was manufacturing
chocolate candy figures in Buffalo, New York. Unable to make a
go of it in chocolate, Gurley switched to candles.