Member-only story
The History of Sparklers
The popular firework can be both unassuming and dangerous
The Fourth of July remains one of the most popular holidays in the United States. Decadent barbeques, icy slices of watermelon and fireworks are all on the menu for a wide swath of the country. The humble sparkler has long been a part of the traditions, but what are its origins?
There is no definitive documentation, but a seventh-century A.D. architect named Callinicos of Heliopolis (a city in ancient Egypt that translates to City of the Sun) is widely accepted as being the father of the sparkler. He developed something called a cheirosiphon, which was essentially a rudimentary flame thrower used to wreak havoc during times of war. These devices expelled “Greek Fire,” which was a flaming sticky substance, most likely pine resin, that adhered to whatever it landed on and generated fiery terror.
Fortunately for the many celebrations and events around the world, a much gentler and safer version (when properly used and supervised) has evolved into the sparklers that are used today. They are most commonly comprised of sticks with thin, non-combustible metal wires dipped in a pyrotechnic slurry that allow for a slow and colorful burn when ignited.
The current version of the sparkler came from the German wunderkerzen from the 1850s, which was wire coated in iron and gunpowder. Like many common items of today, this has since been engineered over the years into a less volatile and user-friendly version. In this country, they have become popular accessories for holidays and events like July 4th, New Years and weddings among others over the past century.
There are only six factories in the world that make sparklers. Five are in China and the other is in the United States (Youngstown, Ohio). Chinese businessman Ding Yan Zhong controls the vast majority of fireworks production and distribution in the world, including sparklers. Julie Heckman, the executive director of the American Pyrotechnics Association, lamented, “Everything going through Shanghai goes through Mr. Ding… We have no choice. You want to get your products, that’s what you do… The industry is at the mercy of that, and nobody wants to rock the boat.”
