What were pole screens used for?

They shielded a seated person from the direct heat of an open fire. The panel slides on the pole and sets at whatever height suits the sitter's face. By the 19th century they were a standard drawing-room fitting, and the panel doubled as a place to display needlework.

Which woods are most common?

Mahogany and rosewood, running close to level with each other across the titles. Walnut appears in a smaller run. Satinwood, giltwood, ebonised and painted finishes turn up too, but only in the upper part of the range.

Are pairs of pole screens usual?

Around a fifth of listings offer two screens together, so pairs are a real feature of the category rather than an oddity. They cluster in the upper half of the range, alongside the carved and earlier examples.

How old are most of them?

Early to mid 19th century. Regency is the commonest label, then plain "19th Century", then Victorian, and nothing in the evidence is dated later than 1900. Eighteenth-century examples are the scarce end, only a handful of listings, with sample titles citing circa 1760, 1770 and 1790.

What kinds of panels turn up?

Needlepoint and tapestry between them account for most named panels, with embroidery, silk and woolwork behind them. The less usual ones make the interest: a sampler, pokerwork, crewelwork, satirical prints, an armorial embroidery, papier mâché and a glass reflector all appear.

Do pole screens carry maker's names?

Not in this evidence. Nothing across the category has come through with a stamped, labelled or attributed maker. Dealers describe them by period, timber and panel instead, which is what the titles are built around.