Are chenets and andirons the same thing?

Yes. Chenet is the French term, andiron the English one, and fire dog the everyday version of the English. All three appear in titles on Sellingantiques, and eleven titles use two of the names together, so the same object can be listed under any of them.

Do chenets usually come as pairs?

Three quarters of titles in this archive contain the word 'pair', 65 of 86. A hearth needs two, one at each end of the logs. Singles and fender-mounted sets are the genuine oddities of the category.

What are antique chenets made from?

Bronze and ormolu lead the field, with brass close behind and iron and steel in a smaller group. Several titles describe bronze and ormolu together, gilded standards against patinated castings. At the plain end you'll find turned brass or steel dogs with no gilding at all.

How old are the chenets that come to market?

Of the listings that carry a clean year, all fall between 1800 and 1920. Nothing is dated outside that span. The named decades cluster in the late 19th century, with the 1880s, 1890s and 1900s well ahead of the rest. Only four listings reach into the 18th century.

What figures are cast on the ornamental standards?

Cherubs and putti are the commonest subject in this archive, appearing across the figural work. Beyond them the casting runs to rampant lions, a griffin and a single phoenix. Rococo scrollwork and the Louis court styles are named on others.

Why are some chenets sold with a fender?

About one in nine titles sells the chenets as part of a fender rather than as free-standing dogs, the standards linked by a bar that runs across the front of the hearth. Several of these are described as adjustable or extending in width, so the same set can be fitted to different fireplace openings.