Help with ageing fireplace accessories please

Hello,

I have a set of firedogs/andirons and a fender from our 16th century cottage. We had a wood burner installed so no need for these anymore. I think the dogs are iron and the fender is iron/brass. I've not been able to find any similar dogs online - with eagles like this.

Does anyone have any idea how old they might be (obviously not as old as the cottage!) or any advice on what to do about selling them? I would like them to go to a good home, to someone who will enjoy them.

Many thanks in advance

 

just a wag....feels like late 17 to early 1800's
but wait for someone who has more knowledge
oops only hundred years off !!

 

Hi,
Love your fender. Had one just like it made in 1902. Beautiful brass. Does it have an iron piece underneath?
Your eagles are nice, never seen a solid base like that.
greg

 

Hola, and welcome to the Forums.
What handsome eagles!
Plenty of metal/furnishings brainiacs will be along soon.

 

Ha, I've got the same fender but it's a light brass copy....yours looks like the real deal...early 1900's...I'd say ( like ruedi..)

The eagles are wonderful ...
I'd expect that where ever you are ...this will have to be a close to home sale.
CL in your area ?
Any antique shops or outdoor flea markets where you are ??

 

Doesn't anyone else see the physical impossibility of the eagles' position?

Hello, tambelina! Can we appropriately assume that your "16th century cottage" is in the UK?

 

I feel ya, Abuela. I guess I've just gotten a bit numb to "artistic license". The positions are tricky-looking...

EDIT/ADDED
I guess it's a back view of a spread-winged bird, with the head severely turned over the right shoulder?

 

And the wings all wrong!

 

THAT, too!
Doggone artists with licenses!

 

While this Dutch dealer of fireplace antiques does not have your exact set, he does have numerous of this type with the wedge legs. He lists most as being 19th century and French.

https://www.1stdibs.com/dealers/antique-firebacks/?q=andirons

With those eagles, there is the possibility that these could be considered Napoleonic in style.

 

Could it be just the picture? The eagle on the left looks like normal breast and wings..tail a little off because of the attachment but the one on the right is at a different angel, more head on

 

19th century and French

That's exactly what I was going to say before I got waylaid by "real life"...

In looking at various andirons online, I saw only a few that were constructed on bases like those of these eagles, and all of them were shown as 19th C French.

Whether the eagles are "realistic" or not, they certainly are very pleasing, and the stands on which they are mounted certainly seem to mimic those from France, and nowhere else.

No matter WHAT these andirons turn out to be, I would LOVE to have them in my home!

 

You may be right, Ruedi.

 

The angles of head, wings, etc. reminds me of the Audubon stories. He had people send him birds when he didn't have a particular species. Since he hadn't seen them in life, he wasn't sure how to pose them which is why some of his birds are in such awkward positions.

 

Thanks for all the replies so far, very interesting to hear your thoughts. Some useful info there. I liked reading about the discussion about the birds, they do look a little bit strange!

Yes, our cottage is in the UK, the South East to be precise. It dates back to 1580 with extensions (including the inglenook) added in the early 1700s. It was one big house, split into 5 and was once apparently the local workhouse. It is a very interesting house!

 

The eagles look like cast iron. The fender is most likely brass. Most of the ones I've seen are brass. If you polish that up, it'll look incredible.