Can you widen a club fender?

It isn't easy to alter the width of a metal base. You have to cut the main kerb and weld or bolt in a new section of matching metal. Most dealers recommend finding an antique club fender that already fits your hearth. The corner returns are set at fixed angles and they don't adapt well to being stretched.

We have a very large open fireplace in our drawing room and I was wondering if these come in different depths or if they just sit right against the wall?

Depth varies widely. Some project far into the room. Others stay tight to the grate. It depends on what the original client commissioned. Measure the stone hearth before buying. The base plate needs to sit flat on the solid stone rather than overlapping onto floorboards or carpet.

Do leather seats need replacing?

It depends on the condition. Old hide has character but it can be brittle. A good upholsterer can save the original padding and just replace the top cover. They'll often reuse the antique brass studs.

My husband wants to use one in our library but I am a bit worried that the brass will take hours to clean every week. Do you have to polish them constantly?

You leave them to tarnish. A bright mirror finish looks wrong in a period room. Most people just dust the metalwork. If you want a dull gleam, a quick wipe with a dry cloth once a month is enough.

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Victorian Club Fenders

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A low, U-shaped metal hearth surround topped with padded seating, originally designed to offer a warm place to sit near the fire in nineteenth-century gentlemen's clubs.