Pair of 19th C. Brass Andirons, American, unusual design
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Here is as graceful a pair of andirons as you are likely to see offered anywhere today! 20 inches tall, and 23 inches deep, they are 9 inches wide at the feet. The fluted balls are hollow, and apparently made up of two hemispheres joined at the equator, as it were. The balance of the brass is solid casting. (With the exception, of course, of the brass channel that covers the iron frame from the main column to the log stops.) The front faces of the foot section have some engraving, which is hard to photograph, but see the photos anyway. My estimate of age is 1890-1910. There are no marks anywhere, except a very small hand-stamped 64 on the feet sections. The hardware, nuts, etc., that hold everything together are consistent with that period, as was the grime and tarnish. Might be a bit earlier, but probably not later. When I found them, there was at least 100 years of patina/grunge/tarnish/just-plain-dirt in a uniform coat over all the brass. It seemed sort of a shame to polish the brass, but in their as-found condition, no one would give them a second look. I polished carefully, and the new owner may want to get into the nooks and crannies with a toothbrush and some Noxon. Condition is very good for items that have spent the last 100 or so years in a fireplace. There are some minor dings in the hollow balls, and the usual surface
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