Large unusual andirons with odd little gizmo attached - need help

Those are absolutely amazing - have never seen anything like them before! On the underside of the legs where nobody can see, make a little scratch and see what color of metal is underneath the patina - a goldish color would mean copper/bronze metal.

 

Very cool! Does anything turn in the gizmo? Kind of looks like a gas air-flow intake/regulator. Wonder if these were adapted to a gas fireplace insert at one point.

 

This is kind of what I am getting at. This is a standard air intake/regulator for a gas furnace.

 

The gas burner would have had an arm that fit into the back part of the round gizmo. They wouldn't necessarily even have to be attached if they fir together well. It may not be an adaption but it is odd that the one has no leg other than this.

 

Oh I think they're wonderful anyway!

 

Hi,
I wonder if they were a home project. My great grandpa used to make stuff like that instead of buying it. I would swear that he made them, it would not bother him if he did not have four legs that matched. I wonder if they were part of an old stove that was converted?
greg

 

Maybe copper plated (or just painted?) at one time over iron/steel to match the color of the "Pinwheels" - silver would indicate a ferrous metal.

 

Hi Book,
They might have been some sort of heating vent from floor to floor. They might have gone together as a set open to let heat up closed to prevent the heat. I am only guessing as you can tell.
greg

 

Hi Greg !
I'm thinking home made too......to wit ....I found this...which is bang on what I suspected it to be.....

Large Antique Cast Iron Round Heater Grate / Vent




The inner piece is 11 1/2 inches........

 

Folk art?

 

I was wondering if that gizmo thing was a fan for forcing the heat into the room.

Remember in the late 70s-early 80s, the energy crunch, a lot of fireplace sets were adapted to force the heat into the room instead of going up the chimney.

 

In 1982 I had a Vermont Casting fireplace insert, like this one but with the optional fan structure to blow the heat from around the fire chamber back into the room.

Worked like a charm.....cept you couldn't sit in front of it while the fan was on.