This thoroughbred Pair of Early 19th Century Antique English Georgian Brass Chimney Horses really are representative of the best of the breed, their gleaming coats and lifelike modelling capturing as it does the spirit of these fine animals. Standing upon moulded rectangular bases, these pieces are often mistaken for doorstops, for which purpose they today will of course typically be used, being ideal for that purpose. Their true original purpose was to stand, as decorative ornaments, on either hearth or mantelshelf, a tribute to those noble creatures which played such an important and prominent role in everyday life in days gone by. Popular throughout the nineteenth century, it has been suggested that their stance was inspired by the Quadriga which stood on the loggia of St Mark''s Basilica in Venice, whence they were reinstated following the defeat of Napoleon in 1815.Each Horse ~ Height ~ 26.00 cm. / 10.23 inches ~ Width ~ 31.00 cm. / 12.20 inches ~ Depth ~ 10.00 cm. / 3.93 inch...