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Put candles in them, then light the candles.... is that a good idea?

depending on the size, you could glue in glass bowls and use them to hold candy/jewelry/flowers/anything your heart desires on a table or landing strip. I love footed bowls...

Hmm..some bright green grass shooting out of them would look really neat against the yellow, plus add some plant life (even if its fake) to your room if you didn't have some already. Not really a purpose, but I think it would look cool.

or you could glue a plate on top and make a cake stand...

wow, really?

hide them

Are you totally sure they are right side up? The one on the left does not appear to be sitting flat....

NO PURPOSE???
Sure they have a purpose, to sit there looking pretty until you need a candle holder.

Do NOT turn them into something else!

try putting tall candles in them, remember to light the wicks let them burn for a minute then extinguish them, never display candles with new wicks. then put glass hurricane shades over the holders, try modern cylinders not curvy traditional ones, the contrast of the holders with the modern shades will update them.

get some teal candles and bask in the glow.

I agree with dewi wholeheartedly. You purchased them because you love them (I hope) - enjoy!

Place them in a grouping with other treasures when not in use and get going on finding some candles. :-)

These serve a definite purpose-- zero-utility dust catchers. The vast majority of homes have lots of these.

Put them on the curb tonight and hope that the urban pirates pick them up.

Lauren- I think these are beautiful and they are more beautiful because YOU like them. You should fill your home with things you love. Enjoy them. I see them in a book shelf-on different shelves- maybe holding a glass ornamental ball. When you want to use them for candles use them. Whatever you do have fun and enjoy.

I've seen decorative pedestals similar to these used for planters and like lyndafitz suggested, ornamental balls (usually not glass but matching the pedestals).

If you can't find a planter to fit on each properly (because it would be hard to find one to match), I second putting a bowl in them - glass WOULD look great - and using them as bulb forcers.

I concur with rick.... curb!

Umm..put candles in them. They're candlesticks...

what?? you were drawn to them at the antique store. keep them! they're funky and cool. celebrate it!

i'd gladly take them if you're siding with those telling you to ditch them!

I think they're upside down too.

I like the cake plate idea. Orrrrr if you could find a corded plastic globe lamp and sit it in there! That would look nifty.

If you want to make them more modern, get candles at two different heights (I think really tall ones would look pretty cool).

Use them, they'll immediately feel more at home.

they look heavy enough to be book ends.

yes, what's wrong with putting candles in them? whether or not they were meant to be candle holders is not really the point, is it? put candles in them and use them as often as possible. i wouldn't turn them into anything else - why?

If you bought them you obviously liked them. Keep them. I might be reading too much into it, but don't feel the need to always make an object functional. I know financially, environmentally etc it may not always be friendly to have nonfunctional decor items around, but its ok to own something just because it makes you smile. I call them mental health objects ;)

Sounds like you bought them second hand anyway, so chances are they were fairly eco and financially friendly, as opposed to buying something newly manufactured from a box store.

Enjoy your purchase! Just keep them around and the perfect use will reveal itself to you!

I love the glaze and color, but how unfortunate that it is wasted on something so rough looking. The one on the right is leaning and the one on the left is not flat. Is there anything that could distract from that? Don't know. Every time I read posts that try to cover up or "fix" something like this, I just wonder why people just can't chalk something up as a loss.

I think they are upside down... But I would use them to hold jewelry or maybe crystal balls! (just kidding on the last part)

I think they might be upside down too, I like the idea of someone^^ who said put teal candles in them, or they could be bookends if heavy enough? If the reason you're not sure whether they're candle holders or not is because the hole is an atypical size, you can stick the candles in with blu-tac. Once one candle has been in there, the wax should've made the hole a bit smaller so you can fit a candle in snugly.

I have something similar, but they're metal vases and without the flared foot, since I don't keep them full of flowers all the time they hold globes and are changed throughout the year given the season... my collection includes globes that are covered with shells, moss, world maps, Fall leaves. I divide the two, display them in different areas, which I'd advise with yours (makes an interesting display object without the cheeze of a matching pair). As for those who say give them away, ignore them, keep what you love. I've had more friends come in admiring a collection only to realize I'd added an object they'd cast off and painted it a color that worked in my home (I use a warm white to unite disparate tchotchkes).

I also think they are upside-down. If they are candle-holders, they would have a hole and you wouldn't be so confused! If they don't have a hole, they are probably something else. I don't immediately recognize another use for them, but setting a bowl or candy dish or glass sphere in them seems like something to try.

I think if you were attracted to them at the antique store, then you should keep them. They are pretty enough. I don't know what all are the rest of your belongings, but then don't let anyone tell you these are too ugly or useless to keep. There is really no telling how big they are from the picture either, but they look pretty substantial. Find some other things to group them with on a shelf and call it a day. But try to determine if they are indeed upside-down and whether or not there actually is a receptable for a candle. I guess it is possible they are more of a "stand" for a stumpy candle and not for holding a taper, experiment with it. As long as you don't actually drop one, experimenting will draw out a lot of ideas you can play with until it looks right.

Otherwise, I think you wanted someone to identify the items for sure as a candleholder or not, so you don't set them up for candles and get embarrassed when your guests laugh behind your back because of course they are obviously something else! Give it some time, maybe someone will, but you can let your imagination go, I don't think it will harm the pieces or make them look bad. They are a pair of little sculptures that look upside-down and probably are meant to hold something. Maybe it is candles, maybe it is just an opportunity to be creative with your find.

return them?

Do they have holes running through them? They would make awesome lamp bases.

Agree with others who think they are upside-down and that you should just: 1. enjoy them as objects you bought because you love them and 2. use them as candlesticks when the mood or need strikes.

I like the idea of a cake stand, you could use a clear bowl/plate so you can still see admire them. I do appreciate having things that do nothing but as I now know that can get out of control so it is nice to convert when you can.

Perhaps with some spraypaint, string and hot glue and tissue paper, you could make these into a faux-deer head?

Get real: They're candleholders. If you don't know what to do with them, put them on eBay and let someone who does know enjoy them.

If they don't inspire you as candleholders, then try something new. Get them drilled through the center and turn them into pendant lamps.

Honestly, people are so rude! I like them. I think using them as bookends is a great idea.

Yeah, I have to join the throng who says they're upside down. Definitely--as in, No Question. Turn them right side up and put pillar candles in them. Light and enjoy.

I would glue a large Ostrich or Green Emu egg and use them as a display.

Another vote for upside-down!

They are definitely upside down. They look to me like they are meant to be pedestals. I like the idea of displaying something round on them. I don't know the size of these, but a round ball of marble, onyx or agate or rock crystal would look attractive (expensive, but reconstituted stone spheres are available). Or if you are into irony, a particularly pretty bowling ball from the flea market. Or a gazing ball, meant for the garden. Target has some 10" ones for very little money:

http://www.target.com/Bohemian-Crystal-Gazing-Ball-Blue/dp/B000EGZ4E2/sr=1-8/qid=1235588187/ref=sr_1_8/185-3349861-9951247?ie=UTF8&frombrowse=0&index=target&rh=k%3Acrystal%20ball&page=1

I like the lamp idea, but keep thinking how cute one of those would be as a ceiling lamp in my hallway, mounted to the ceiling with a glass globe attached below.

Or, since they're so small, two of them over my sink in the kitchen.

Is that weird? Oh well. I'm weird. :)

potted ferns on top would partially obscure them... they could use a touch of mystery

If I had them I'd separate the two. I'd put one on the sink counter in the bathroom and have it hold either the soap or a plant. Might put the other on the porch. In any case, do something fun and don't pay attention to mockers.

And I'm glad that so many people agree that they are upside down. I think they will look better and more functional if you turn them over.

would make them into table lamps with simple drum shades.

why not display candles with new wicks? I'm curious about rules like this. I had heard (but never really observed) the rule that if you have guests, you always use new candles.

I wonder if you can thread a pendant light through them - use one end as a ceiling medallion and the other as the top of a pendant globe. or, ceiling medallions for 2 globe pendants.

oh I see someone had that idea already!

"Perhaps with some spraypaint, string and hot glue and tissue paper, you could make these into a faux-deer head?"

Hahahaha, LMAO! And then....spew! Faux-deer heads are just narsty (does that go for my petrified deer antlers that have been above a door in my domicile since I was a kid when my dad brought them back from AZ/Grand Canyon?).

Add taper candles, light, enjoy. These are so pretty. It would really be a shame to change them.

Plus, I kind of love the idea of a candle lit dinner table. :)

Throw them away?

I think they're fun and would star in a great tableau, maybe a collection of b/w photos and silver objects with the candlesticks to give a pop of color. Or separate them and put them on different shelves on a book case. Don't worry too much about if they're candleholders or not; they work gorgeously as little pieces of sculpture and you should just keep moving them from place to place they till "fit."

You could glue one on top of the other and then use it as a jewellery holder. Your rings and studs can go in the top and you can hang your necklaces and bracelets off the edges. You would have to make sure that necklaces would stay on... Oh and I agree, I think they are upside down in this image.

Come on...she asked for advice, not for people to make fun of something she likes. Have more class than that.

Could we possibly see a picture of what they look like from above? Do the divot in?

You could use round candles (I am seeing red orange or blue) or blown glass balls clear or colored.
Also place one higher than the other on a block of wood or a book.
I love them

It sounds like some of you drank Hater-Ade for breakfast. Be nice or don't post. It's only hurtful. This isn't TMZ. It's Apartment Therapy.

green-bean do what you wish they are your candles, but candles displayed with unburned wicks, can look like your candles are just for display and never used.

Gazing balls? Please don't ever add gazing balls to your decor. You are to good for that...