Pair of late Georgian brass andirons, circa 1820
Size: 16 ¾ h x 18 w x 9 ½ d in
ZG18135
Andirons (or chenets/firedogs as they can also be known) have been used since the late iron age and were originally designed to hold stacked firewood in an open heath or fire pit. By elevating the wood, air could circulate around the fire and provide an even burn with little smoke. The design with the tall front support would keep the flaming logs from rolling out of the fireplace and causing damage. Over time andirons ceased to have only functional use and became decorative items.
As homes evolved over the centuries, fireplaces became commonly used for central cooking and heating, but also as heat sources in bedrooms and parlours. During the Iron Age, andirons were made of wrought iron but as they developed into the 17th century the form became more elaborate and the material more refined. They could be made of iron, steel, copper, bronze and on occasion even silver. The front supports became more decorative, some taking the form of heraldic symbols such as a Fleur du Lis, or classical motifs and myths, fantastic beasts or animals and figural forms. By the reign of Louis XIV, andirons had become such accepted forms of decoration that even Jean Berain, who was named chief designer to the French court in the late 17th century, designed them.
Today andirons serve the same purpose, although now primarily more decorative than functional, and can add the impression of a real wood fire if placed near a gas or electric hearth. In a wood burning fireplace they can be stacked decoratively with wood when not in use, elevating the look of the hearth and providing visual interest in an otherwise dark recess.
