With multi-axis spindle turning it is possible to produce many varieties of quite surprising shapes.
If the axes are all parallel, then a multi-sided column is produced (which can be made into a nice candlestick, pencil pot or whatever).
If the axes are skewed, but the mounting points lie on circles of the same diameter at each end, then a twisted, but non-tapering, candlestick will be produced
This has been demonstrated by Paul Nesbitt at various woodturning clubs and described in the May 2008 issue of the Surrey Association of Woodturners magazine
This project takes the complexity a little further, to introduce a tapering profile. Unfortunately, after the first round of turning, the desired mounting points at one end are outside the diameter of the candlestick, so a little mechanical engineering is called for.
One of the delightfully surprising outcomes of the project is the lovely J-curve which appears on each edge