They're made in a third world country, and look like it. Probably in a dirt floored hut with a hammer and pliers. Not a "old world craftsmanship" item.
Nothing, and I mean NOTHING is straight on them. The nuts are obviously hand made and no two are the same size. The candle holders are not straight in relation to each other or anything else.
Yes, most of this can be fixed - Dahlal even cautions purchasers on this - but it isn't easy to tweak things so they look right and you still end up with a third rate prop - if you didn't break something in the process. I've been fighting with mine since I got it - it still doesn't look all that great, and one of the arms broke off. I built a new one from scratch using a "real" candelabrum - it looks REALLY cool, but it weighs a ton and took forever to make. I'm still thinking about getting new "arms" made for my Egyptian one, that would solve most of its problems.
As for the padding, its third rate too, looks like the crap that it is, and is ineffective for the 15 minutes that it lasts. That's why I tell people to tear it out and replace it with "Mole Foam". The Mole Foam is first rate stuff, makes the crown comfortable, isn't visible from any distance, and wears VERY well.
I don't blame Dahlal, Scheherezade, or anyone else for selling these things - they are seemingly the only model that is made in large enough numbers to satisfy demand. No-one seems to import the nice ones that are made in Germany - and it'd probably cost a bloody fortune to do so. My wife thinks I should go into the Shemadan business, I'm not so sure...
-Zorba
"The Veiled Male"
http://www.doubleveil.net