Dating fireplace

paddylonglegs

Hi.

I'm interested in getting some idea of era for this fireplace (image will hopefully attach)

It's one of a set of 4 fireplaces in the house all with the same design. The house itself is 1880s built but I haven't seen this style of fireplace before, Victorian is the norm in most houses I guess. It's not overly ornate yet it's a little bit quirky. Years of paint have covered over a lot of the detail but hopefully you can see enough from the pictures. Could they have been retrofit at a later stage? I know that therehavebeen additions to the house since.

Thanks

dpofloinn

Id say they are probably origional to the house and would date from approx the 1880s they appear to be somewhat in the gothic revival style I cant make out alot of the detail but they appear similar to this http://antiquefireplacesireland.com/2014/02/stock-19123/

paddylonglegs

Thanks very much. Yes a similar layout, but these have more floral features whereas mine have more geometric triangles, so I thought 20s-30s might be possible?

dpofloinn

Definitely not art deco most certainly mid to late victorian

chopper6

Are they cast iron?

paddylonglegs

chopper6 wrote: »

Are they cast iron?

Hi. Yes they are. Iv looked for names under mantelpiece but nothing

zimmermania

paddylonglegs wrote: »

Hi. Yes they are. Iv looked for names under mantelpiece but nothing

The fireplaces are cast iron almost certainly dating from the 1880s.They probably have diamond registation marks on the back which can only be seen when the fireplaces are taken out.The diamond mark contained the date of manufacture,maker and material from which the item was made.Around the late 1880s the diamond shaped mark was replaced with just a number which looked something like this Rd 175429 and the date of manufacture can be established from the number and many good books on antiques show how to date items through the numbers.

paddylonglegs

zimmermania wrote: »

The fireplaces are cast iron almost certainly dating from the 1880s.They probably have diamond registation marks on the back which can only be seen when the fireplaces are taken out.The diamond mark contained the date of manufacture,maker and material from which the item was made.Around the late 1880s the diamond shaped mark was replaced with just a number which looked something like this Rd 175429 and the date of manufacture can be established from the number and many good books on antiques show how to date items through the numbers.

Hi, thanks very much for the info. I double checked underneath the mantelpiece on the fireplace upstairs, there is a diamond shape with an R in the centre and a floral motif in each of the corners of the diamond. Would you recommend a particular book that would with identifying marks?

chopper6

paddylonglegs wrote: »

Hi, thanks very much for the info. I double checked underneath the mantelpiece on the fireplace upstairs, there is a diamond shape with an R in the centre and a floral motif in each of the corners of the diamond. Would you recommend a particular book that would with identifying marks?

Send them an email

http://www.vicfires.com/information.html

zimmermania

paddylonglegs wrote: »

Hi, thanks very much for the info. I double checked underneath the mantelpiece on the fireplace upstairs, there is a diamond shape with an R in the centre and a floral motif in each of the corners of the diamond. Would you recommend a particular book that would with identifying marks?

I cannot put my hand on the book just now.You can find all you need to know with easy to understand diagrams if you google-English Registry Marks, a site hosted by phoenixmasonry comes up.The R in the centre of the diamond will have a small d beside it looking like Rd and that is the registry mark which was also used on china.The little decorations you mention are actually letters and numbers.The very top number refers to the material,i think i is metal,below that a letter refers to the year,right hand corner is day of the month,left hand corner is the month and i think the bottom refers to the makers name.Sounds complicated but it is fully expained and easy to follow.

Wild_Dogger

I would agree with the 1880's date or maybe slightly later.
There is a little mix of styles going on.

It is very 'late Victorian' in material and design, the roundels are simulating some of the embossed motifs you would see on copper items during the Arts and Crafts movement.
So generally you would think it will date to the overlap or transition between the two periods.

Blaze it up and enjoy

Wild_Dogger

The diamond shape with the digits/letters is a Victorian registration mark and you can get a pretty precise date of manufacture.