|
Originally designed to simply lift logs up off the hearth, andirons
have been in use for more than five centuries. Their structural
evolution has roughly mirrored that of the fireplace, changing and
adapting as fashions and technology dictated. In his earliest quest
to promote a better, more efficient fire, man found that raising
wood up allowed oxygen to circulate, creating a healthy draft and
producing a brighter, hotter fire. In the 15th century, andirons
were fashioned from wrought iron and were very basic in design.
Originally consisting of just a single bar between two tall ends,
andirons were not used in pairs until hearths moved from the centers
of rooms to outside walls as more sophisticated chimneys developed.
During the 16th century, the blast furnace was invented, and with
casting, technology advanced to produce heavier, more ornate
andirons.
Over the course of the 17th century, design evolved to embrace
practical needs: spit hooks were added so that meat could be
precisely positioned over an open flame, log stays designed to keep
logs in place appeared, and finials were used to hold bowls up over
the fire. Early in the century, andirons were a mark of wealth, and
less fortunate people simply used long, narrow rocks to keep the
fire off the floor. Throughout most of this period, andirons were
made of iron, but before the turn of the century, English
blacksmiths began to embellish them with brass finials and feet.
Brass was in limited supply and costly, but its addition in small
amounts provided a strikingly attractive contrast to the dark iron,
reflecting firelight beautifully throughout a room.
Early in the 18th century, several important developments influenced
andiron design. Traditionally, fireplaces had been large to
accommodate a variety of cooking pots and utensils, and most were
without mantels, which didn’t enjoy frequent use until the end of
the 18th century. Andirons of this period tended to be big, and
heavy. Steadily rising affluence grew out of agriculture and
expanding trade, and both the size of houses, and their furnishings,
changed accordingly. In the mid-18th century—the Queen Mary
period—trade between England and the American colonies prospered,
and the Chippendale influence arrived from England. Founders in
America began making fireplace tools, and andirons, that copied the
heightened sense of design being imported from overseas. Andirons
became more ornate; their columns were sometimes turned or fluted,
cabriole legs came into fashion, and ornamental ball-and-claw feet
gave them something beautiful to rest upon. More fanciful designs,
such as twisted vases and diamond and flame finials, grew popular.
American metalworkers, who had been largely dependent on England for
brass and its technology up until now, began to experiment with
design. To provide strength against long and intense periods of
heat, their andirons were cast mostly in one piece. Some of their
designs were peculiar to American needs: to accommodate uneven
hearth floors, they raised the center portion of the andiron foot,
creating a low, flat arch with a flat foot at each end, a design
that came to be known as the penny foot. Log stops were mounted on
top of the billet bar, and a vertical support added underneath to
keep the heat from bending the bar downward. By mid-18th century,
American homes were becoming more stylish, with more rooms and
additional fireplaces, and the British had turned to coal as their
primary source of heat.
A critical factor influencing andiron design was that towards the
end of the century, American fireplaces were growing smaller. Count
Rumford, an American who lived most of his life in Europe,
recognized that fireplaces were inefficient, and developed a new,
shallower design that greatly augmented their ability to produce
both heat and light. It was consequently difficult to use earlier
andirons built for massive spaces, and the measure of the ideal
andiron--roughly two-thirds the height of the fireplace opening-gained
acceptance.
Given the considerable exchange of trade between England and
America, and knowing that American founders commonly copied
fashionable British patterns and style, how is today’s collector to
distinguish between English and American andirons? Typically, 18th
and 19th century English pieces had a wrought, tapered internal iron
rod, square in section and shoulder near the lower end. Firedogs
made of iron were often fronted with brass, and occasionally, enamel
or brass. Some of the designs popular in 18th century andiron came
from English metal workers, particularly in the last quarter of the
century, who had used similar designs such as baluster shapes with
spiral twists, on silver coffeepots and brass candlesticks.
In America, it was standard to make hollow castings
in both centuries. Brass parts were cast in sand flasks, the legs
were cast solid and urn-shaped finials, columns, and plinths cast as
hollow, vertical halves then brazed together. Curved billet bars, or
dogs, were listed as circular in 19th century American founders
inventories, and may have been used to increase radiated heat. The
principal centers for American andiron production were Philadelphia,
New York, and Boston. Some pieces are stamped with the maker’s
surnames or initials, some are stamped with a number probably
referring to a size or pattern, and other markings have been all or
partially erased by decades of intense heat.
Frequently, small parts were coded to prevent confusion
during assembly. Typically, the codes appear as a series of punched
dots, filed grooves, or engraved lines. Andirons were also coded
according to size, which determined price. The larger the andirons,
the greater the weight of the brass, and therefore, the most
expensive.
Unfortunately, very few andirons bear the makers
names, and predictably, those exceptions command higher prices.
Collectors should be aware that many pairs have been reworked over
the years, and they should always disassemble andirons for thorough
examination. Experienced enthusiasts check to make sure the interior
post, where the top piece is screwed into the bottom, is hand filed
on its edges, as only antique pieces should be. With brass andirons,
it’s advisable to place the pair face to face, checking to make sure
the width and spread of the feet are equal. The same exercise should
be done to check height. Additionally, the collector should place
the pair together, back leg to back leg, to confirm they are the
same length and have not been cut down. Caution must be used when
disassembling andirons, because the threads can become corroded over
time and the inner bar twisted off. Stylistically, reproductions are
easily recognizable to the trained eye. Authentic
antique andirons bring joy to collectors who appreciate the
centuries of design and technology that helped forge them.
Outstanding examples of the best English and American metalwork,
these andirons return enduring architectural and functional beauty
to their original resting place—the hearth. As Eve is fond of
saying, “The fireplace is the heart of the room as well as the focal
point, so it is best to make sure your choice in andirons is an
important one.” Eve Stone Antiques, Ltd. has the best assortment
available as well as the resources to help the collector or
decorator find the perfect pair of andirons. |