Shaped by Hand, Named for the Stars: The Story of the Sceptrum Citronella Burner
Some pieces take a while to find their form. The Sceptrum wasn't one of them.
From the moment I picked up that piece of oak — locally foraged, dried slowly, full of character — I could already see the shape inside it. That gentle hourglass curve, wide at the top and bottom, narrowing in the middle. It reminded me of something ancient and purposeful. An egg timer counting down to something good.
That's how the Sceptrum Citronella Burner came to be.
The Wood
Everything starts with the material, and with the Sceptrum, it starts with handcrafted oak. I forage locally — walking the same fields and woodland edges I've walked for years — and I only bring back what's ready. Oak that's fallen naturally, dried properly, and still has that density and warmth that makes it worth working with.
This piece has all of that. The grain runs clean through the body of the burner, and the natural colour of the wood — that deep, honeyed tone you only get with well-seasoned oak — comes through beautifully once it's oiled and finished by hand.
The Making
The shape is turned on the lathe, but the finishing is all done by hand. Each pass of sandpaper, each coat of oil, each check of the proportions — it's slow, deliberate work. The kind of work that means no two pieces are ever quite identical, even when they share the same design.
Inside, there's a glass fuel tank and a stainless steel chimney that draws the heat up and out cleanly. The whole thing sits at 160mm tall and 75mm wide — compact enough to sit on a windowsill or garden table, substantial enough to feel like it belongs there.
It's treated with a fire retardant finish, so the wood is protected as well as beautiful.
Named for the Stars
Every piece I make carries a name from the night sky. It's something I started early on and never stopped — there's something fitting about it. These are objects made to last, made to be passed on, made to sit quietly in a home for years. Stars feel like the right kind of company.
Sceptrum is a star in the constellation of Eridanus — the river. I like that. There's something about a citronella burner, with its slow flame and drifting scent, that has the same quality as a river at dusk. Unhurried. Present.
Rustic Home Decor, Made in the UK
The Sceptrum is rustic home decor in the most honest sense — no pretence, no fuss. Just good oak, good craft, and a flame that keeps the midges at bay while you sit outside on a summer evening.
It's handmade in the UK, in my workshop, and it's available now with UK mainland postage included. Only one available at the moment, so if it's caught your eye, you know what to do.
View the Sceptrum Citronella Burner — £45.00
Explore the full range in our Citronella Burner Collection.