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The two brass stands or holders are attached to each side of the marble fireplace surround and provide a convenient place to hold moveable fireplace tools (q.v. 1922.22.111c-f, poker, brush, shovel, and tongs). The holders are u-shaped devices or horizontal hooks opening toward the fireplace. A bold scrolls and anthemions are displayed on the end of the hooks facing the room, whereas the ends facing the wall are attached to a brace of double-baluster shape held on a gadrooned disk, which are mounted to the wall. Two smaller individual hooks are attached to the larger holder and available to hold the fireplace tools above the ground.
The wrought-iron poker has a hook and spike on one end and a brass handle at the other end. The bristle brush has a rectangular brass holder with applied brass anthemions. The long wrought-iron shaft terminates in a brass handle at the other end. The wrought-iron shovel has broad bell shape. The long wrought-iron shaft terminates in a brass handle at the other end. The set of wrought-iron tongs has two spoon-shaped terminals to hold burning coals. The long wrought-iron shafts emanating from the terminals ends in a brass handle. For each of the four tools the brass handle is an inverted paneled baluster, decorated with anthemions, and a sphere, pierced by decorative scrolls. A reeled finial finishes each handle.
ProvenanceFrom 1964
Reynolda House Museum of American Art, Winston-Salem, NC, acquired in 1964. [1]
Notes:
[1] In the early 1960s Charles H. Babcock (1899-1967) gave the house and its contents to the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation. The house was then incorporated as a museum and collection (Reynolda House, Inc.) on December 18, 1964 with the signing of the charter at its first board meeting. The museum first opened to the public in September 1965.
DepartmentHistoric House
Fireset with Wall Brackets
MakerAttributed to
Edward F. Caldwell & Company
(1895 - 1959)
Date1917
Mediumbrass (brackets); wrought iron and brass (poker); wrought iron, brass, and bristles (brush); wrought iron and brass (shovel)
Dimensions<see each individual component>
Credit LineReynolda Estate
CopyrightPublic Domain
Object number1922.2.111a-f
DescriptionThis is a metal fireset comprising of six coordinating pieces. There are two wall hooks, a poker, a brush, a shovel, and a pair of tongs. Originally the set also had a matching firescreen—which is now gone. The two brass stands or holders are attached to each side of the marble fireplace surround and provide a convenient place to hold moveable fireplace tools (q.v. 1922.22.111c-f, poker, brush, shovel, and tongs). The holders are u-shaped devices or horizontal hooks opening toward the fireplace. A bold scrolls and anthemions are displayed on the end of the hooks facing the room, whereas the ends facing the wall are attached to a brace of double-baluster shape held on a gadrooned disk, which are mounted to the wall. Two smaller individual hooks are attached to the larger holder and available to hold the fireplace tools above the ground.
The wrought-iron poker has a hook and spike on one end and a brass handle at the other end. The bristle brush has a rectangular brass holder with applied brass anthemions. The long wrought-iron shaft terminates in a brass handle at the other end. The wrought-iron shovel has broad bell shape. The long wrought-iron shaft terminates in a brass handle at the other end. The set of wrought-iron tongs has two spoon-shaped terminals to hold burning coals. The long wrought-iron shafts emanating from the terminals ends in a brass handle. For each of the four tools the brass handle is an inverted paneled baluster, decorated with anthemions, and a sphere, pierced by decorative scrolls. A reeled finial finishes each handle.
ProvenanceFrom 1964
Reynolda House Museum of American Art, Winston-Salem, NC, acquired in 1964. [1]
Notes:
[1] In the early 1960s Charles H. Babcock (1899-1967) gave the house and its contents to the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation. The house was then incorporated as a museum and collection (Reynolda House, Inc.) on December 18, 1964 with the signing of the charter at its first board meeting. The museum first opened to the public in September 1965.
Status
On view1920-1930
1910-1920
1885-1900