Old fireside accessories add cosy note

Press, 28 July 1987, Page 16

Old fireside accessories add cosy note

Collecting with

Myrtle Duff

At this time of the year it is tempting to look back wistfully to cosy evenings by the fire, or even to kitchens always warm and welcoming from the heat of the shining, coal-burn-ing, iron range — though I think few of us would relish black-leading the stove or coping with the kindling on a frosty morning.

It is possible to enjoy modern comforts and at the same time recapture the atmosphere of earlier days by gathering up some of the old fire-side furnishings, especially il you are lucky enough to have one of your electric fires mounted in the surroundings of an older fireplace.

It was probably fire, or "the place where the fire was” which provided the first concept of home even if it was just a flat, sheltered area where a primitive family gathered around a heap of burning wood to warm' themselves and cook their food. In Britain, until the six-

teenth century, heating and cooking, for those fortunate enough to live in such homes, usually took place in the centre of a large hall with a hole in the roof to allow smoke to escape. This eventually gave way to a fireplace at one end of the room, with a hole in the thick wall to let the smoke out. A sheet of iron behind the fire protected the stones and reflected additional heat. Side pieces of iron were later forged to the backing to form the predecessor of the modem fireplace.

The introduction of coal in the eighteenth century brought further developments. Coal could not be just stacked up on a flat surface and lit. It needed to be arranged so that air could circulate in and around it, so a raised platform with holes for air was invented. Hot coal embers needed to be stirred up occasionally, so pokers were made: Poking the fire became a favourite leisure pastime.

In pursuit of even more efficient expulsion of smoke, fireplaces were made narrower and taller which in turn encouraged an interest in making them even more attractive with appropriate decoration. The fireplace became an important feature in every home and was frequently elaborately decorated.

There can be few sights more comforting on a cold winter’s evening than a fire (real or smog-free electric) surrounded by a shining brass fender adorned with Georgianor

Victorian accessories. Many are available in local shops. Those illustrated include a pair of “fire dogs” or andirons, a set of Georgian fire-irons (shovel, tongs and poker) and two long-handled toasting forks from Fendalton Antiques, and a brass coal scuttle and brass covered bellows from Village Bygones. Both shops had other fireside furnishings. There were magnificent brass and iron fenders; a fine selection of scuttles of all shapes and sizes.

The wooden ones are fascinating. Usually of oak with a metal lining they have brass or iron fittings, and all are different. Any of these would be an interesting addition to a fireside collection and to the furnishing of any room.