Featured Andirons--Dogs/Brass--Can Anyone Advise?

Hello! I am interested in knowing more about these andirons. They are approx. 13 inches tall. The only markings I can find are "numbers" on the backside of each andiron. On one, #3 is stamped on the backside of the dog as well as on the base, and on the other, #15 is stamped on the backside of the dog as well as on the base. I would really appreciate any information! Thank you!

 

Modern repro. The dogs should be opposing not facing the same way. . The curved log supports at the back are not long enough. Decorative pieces not made with "balance" in mind.

 

Something looks a bit off on yours to me with the casting quality and the finish. Newer. Did you do a magnet test to see if it sticks to them? Is that rust on the one on the right?

1st dibs is probably worse than eBay in terms of people listing items and not knowing their worth or having any knowledge of what they're selling. The person selling these is no exception.

You'll see the rails that Adrian mentions that are missing in this pair.



https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/b...-andirons-from-mid-20th-century/id-f_1202868/

 

Thank you for your reply! Yes, I did notice something "odd" about the supports in the back....not long enough....maybe modified for some reason? I am sending a few more photos. These andirons are something that have been stored away for a long time...I think they are something my Mom purchased years ago-probably at an estate/garage sale. So I do know they are not "new" but of course I have no idea how old they are or anything else about them. A magnet does not stick to them; a magnet only sticks to the "supports" (the supports have a shiny black "painted" surface). Also, those markings/discolorations on the front are a "dark brownish" color...not sure what that means.

 

Thanks for your reply! Please see some further information I wrote in my reply to Adrian. I am posting a few more photos for you to take a look at. In one of the photos, you'll see the "different" way the supports are in the back. Also, the #15 on the backside of both the dog and the base.

 

When people say modern here they probably mean anytime in the past 40ish (if not 50-60ish) years. It’s all relative. Particularly the legs look new and not antique at all. Still cool, funky decor pieces though.

 

Thanks! I just signed up to participate in this forum today...and already am quite impressed! You are certainly correct about the "legs" which have the shiny black paint....definitely look much newer. I did have a thought though....am wondering whether the andirons (the dogs and bases) could possibly be old/antique, but were missing the long supports at some point, so someone possibly added the black/shorter legs?? I wonder if those "legs" can be purchased separately, to add to andirons....I think I'll do a bit of searching on-line. Just curious....

 

Good thought, but I don’t know what kind of market there would be for such support legs. Replacement legs that basically convert andirons into decorative pieces seems like it would have a very narrow market.

 

I think it’s a lot more likely they just aren’t that old. The legs are just the newest looking part. What does the collar say?

 

Often seen with a cat.

 

In fact there don’t seem to be any sets with the dogs facing each other, only the cat and dog.

 

I took another look at the collar. Reading from left to right: it has what looks like a D, then two small v's pointing towards each other with a dot between their points, then an A (with the middle bar not being straight but rather like a v pointed down, then two more of the small v's as described above, and then another of the A's. The closeup photo I posted on Monday shows it to some extent.