Pair of Antique Brass Andirons. Urn finial over baluster support, spurred legs with claw feet.

Size (both): 22 X 9 1/2 X 22 in.

#5363 .

Andirons, or firedogs, are bracket supports, normally in pairs, on which logs are laid for burning in an open fireplace, so that air may circulate under the firewood, allowing better burning and less smoke. They generally consist of a tall vertical element at the front to stop logs from rolling into the room with at least two legs to support it. The other element is one or more low horizontal pieces stretching back into the fireplace to rest the logs upon. Before the Renaissance, European andirons were made entirely of iron and of plain design. From the Renaissance onwards the front vertical element was increasingly given decorative treatment and made of a different metal, such as bronze, silver, or brass, which is how this particular piece is constructed. When metals that could be cast began to be used for the fronts, these ordinary objects of the household received the attention of artisans, who lavished ornate designs upon them. During the 18th Century fireplaces began to have built-in metal grates to hold the firewood or coal up off the floor and in place, thus removing the need for andirons. However, andirons were often still kept for decorative reasons, and sometimes as a place to rest pokers, tongs and other fire implements. These andirons are likely from the late 19th or early 20th Century, based on their design and the condition.