Edwardian Fireplace Accessories
These edwardian fireplace accessories bring hearth hardware together in brass, copper, and iron, offering practical utility and period design for the fireside.
Edwardian Fireplace Accessories
When you search for edwardian fireplace accessories, you encounter metal and wood items designed to tend fires and store fuel around the hearth. The forms span coal scuttles, companion sets, fire screens, fenders, and andirons.
You meet brass and copper containers most frequently alongside steel tool suites and iron fire dogs. These pieces originate across the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, with Edwardian and Victorian periods strongly represented.
How they were made
Makers shaped these objects using sheet brass, beaten copper, wrought iron, and cast steel, frequently combining metals on a single piece. Oak and walnut appear in boxes and bins, often bound or detailed in brass.
Workshops employed hand-forging for iron andirons and pierced or beaten techniques for brass and copper vessels. Original liners and matching shovels accompany scuttles and purdoniums.
What varies in quality
Distinctions in quality rest on the weight of the metal and the clarity of decorative work, such as beaten copper panels or pierced brass borders. Heavier gauge brass and solid oak framing separate substantial pieces from lighter items.
Completeness alters a piece, as companion sets and coal scuttles retain higher interest when they keep their original matching shovels, pokers, tongs, or internal liners.
BENHAM AND FROUD
The Edwardian Fireplace Accessories Glossary
- Andirons
- Supports for logs in an open fireplace, also known as fire dogs. They frequently appear in pairs alongside matching companion sets.
- Coal scuttle
- A container designed for holding and carrying coal to the hearth. Variations include helmet shapes, buckets, and coal helmets.
- Fender
- A low metal guard placed in front of the fireplace to contain sparks and ash. They appear in brass and can feature pierced designs.
- Companion set
- A matched group of fireside tools usually comprising a shovel, poker, and tongs. These sets stand together beside the hearth.
- Purdonium
- A specialised box or cabinet for storing coal indoors, typically fashioned from oak or walnut with metal handles and linings.
Edwardian Fireplace Accessories: Frequently Asked Questions
What items make up a companion set?
A companion set typically contains a poker, tongs, and a shovel designed to manage coal and wood fires. These tools share a unified style and material, often cast in brass or forged in steel.
They usually stand together in a holder or rest against the hearth for daily use. Complete sets retain all their original matching implements.
How do I distinguish an andiron from a fire dog?
Andirons and fire dogs are terms used for the same horizontal iron supports that elevate logs in an open hearth. They allow air to circulate beneath the wood for a cleaner burn.
Both types can feature decorative wrought iron or brass fronts facing into the room. They frequently match companion sets placed nearby.
What is a coal purdonium?
A purdonium is a household coal container, usually built from timber such as oak or walnut with a metal interior liner. It functions as an enclosed box to store fuel neatly beside the fireplace.
Many examples include a small shovel tucked into a compartment and brass carrying handles. They hide fuel while adding a finished furniture look to the hearth.