Colonial Candles Come From a Fine Tradition of Quality

Colonial Candles are high quality scented pillar and jar candles sold by the Colonial Candle Company of Cape Cod. Mabel Baker who was a New England school teacher and entrepreneur started the company way back in 1905. Mabel’s hobby was creating candles from bayberries.

The bayberries were originally gathered by hand and boiled them down with wax in a workshop in her barn. The wax would float to the top to be skimmed and strained and poured into jars or molds. This was a time consuming process because each bushel of berries yielded only 2 to 2.5 kg of scented wax. The wicks for these initial colonial candles were originally made out of hand-braided cotton. Each one of the colonial candles was hand-dipped in candle wax as many as thirty-five times. The spicy and aromatic bayberry candle is still a mainstay of the Colonial Candle line.

By 1910, the word about Mabel’s incredible hand made colonial candles spread to Boston and Mable got her first big break when one of the largest stores there purchased her entire supply of candles. Over time, her hobby soon grew into a reputable business that flourished for under the business name of Colonial Candles of Cape Cod.

Mabel Baker’s bayberry Colonial candles were so successful that the company did not even develop a second scent until 1925. This new colonial candle was called Scent-O-Pine.

Today, the Colonial Candle company continues Mabel Baker's tradition of quality with a product line that features over 400 candles and accessories each year. Colonial candles are offered in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, including votive candles, pillar candles, taper candles and jar candles. The line also now offers collectors of colonial candles more than 25 fragrances and colors to choose from.

The most popular Colonial candles are the large pillar candles that boast three flames and comes in such gorgeous scents as cranberry, ginger currant, honey dew, raspberry and café latte. They also offer votive candles in such exotic “flavors” as Belgian Waffle, Birthday Cake, Black Cherry and of course, …bayberry. A 3 X 4 pillar candle costs about ten dollars.

In 1973, this company pioneered Partylite candles and the idea of bringing colonial candles people's homes through the use of personal party consultants and in-home demonstrations. Blythe Inc. has owned the company since 1990.

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