Posts Tagged ‘Victorian Fireplaces’

The Cast Iron Fireplace: A Brief History

August 8th, 2009

Cast iron fireplaces have been around for hundreds of years. In Norman times, forged wrought iron was used to make andirons – the traditional U-shaped containers into which logs were placed for burning. The more modern versions are referred to as firedogs and firebaskets, and these were made from cast-iron or steel, sometimes featuring embellishments of brass or copper. Firebaskets were made entirely of cast iron, forged steel, or a combination of the two. The grate at the bottom of the basket was always made of cast-iron, due to its ability to withstand high temperatures over time.

cast-iron-fireplaceCast-iron firebacks came into use at the end of the 15th century, and the original purpose of these was to protect the back of the fireplace from the heat of the fire. Early examples featured crude patterning, and this was done by pressing simple objects into liquid iron in open sand moulds. Historically, the patterning on a fireback has reflected the political and religious influences of the time. As time went on and fireplaces became smaller, the fireback became incorporated into the coal grate, losing much of its individuality and ornamentation. The fireback was eventually replaced by firestone bricks or tiles, as they possessed excellent heat reflecting qualities.

With the industrial revolution came the ability to mass-produce goods, and so the Victorian era was the era of the cast-iron fireplace. Thanks to the might of the machine, many kinds of cast-iron grates and fireplaces were manufactured and these became very popular with all households, rich and poor. A characteristic Victorian fireplace was made almost entirely of cast iron – some chimneypieces were also made entirely out of cast-iron, avoiding the use of combustible materials.

Firegrates on Victorian cast-iron fireplaces were fairly small, but ample heat was generated by warmth radiating from the polished metal. Victorian cast iron fireplaces ranged from the small and delicate to the large and grandly ornate, with imposing overmantels. One thing they all had in common was an excellent standard of craftsmanship, and due to this the Victorian cast iron fireplace is still in demand today.

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Reproduction Victorian Fireplaces

August 4th, 2009

If you are interested in fitting a reproduction Victorian fireplace, always seek the advice of a reputable fireplace dealer. They will be able to fully assist you with any queries you may have prior to purchase.

reproduction-victorian-fireplaceIn the Victorian era, the immensely ornate fireplace surrounds and over-mantels were constructed from stone, slate, marble or wood. However, the high costs of labour and materials needed to reproduce something similar today would mean that only the wealthiest people would be able to afford them. Modern materials have been developed to reproduce copies of original mouldings at relatively low cost:

Glass Reinforced Polyester (GRP): is a durable, lightweight man-made material, also used in car bodies. GRP can take a considerable amount of stress, and, as a plastic, it can be moulded into any shape. Sometimes, a mould itself is made from GRP.

Polyurethane Foam (PU): Two chemicals are mixed by machine and injected into a flexible rubber mould, where they react together and expand to fill the mould. PU meets class 4 fire retardant standards, meaning that it is suitable for use in all types of building.

Fibrous Plaster is similar to plaster of Paris. This is mixed with water and laid into a mould, onto which strips of Hessian or timber lathes are laid, to give it strength. Alternative layers of plaster and strengtheners build up the mould until the back is finished flush with plaster. Incidentally, fibrous plaster has been in use for two centuries and many reproduction Victorian fireplaces are constructed today using both natural and modern materials. Fibrous plaster is also used for decorative canopies, corbels and mouldings.

As mentioned previously, the Victorian era saw the advent of the cast iron fireplace, and JIG fireworks are the manufacturers of truly outstanding reproduction cast iron fires. Victorianfires.co.uk stock a wide selection of JIG Victorian reproduction cast iron fireplaces, with combinations, inserts and surrounds all available.

The Victorian age was influenced by many styles from previous eras, and so there are many Victorian reproduction fireplaces to choose from. Reproduction Victorian fireplace tiles and decorative tile panels are also widely available.

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Tiled Victorian Fireplace

July 30th, 2009

Fireplace tiles first made an appearance in the Georgian era – the whole fireplace opening was often tiled and a fire-basket would be placed in the recess on the tiled hearth. The industrial revolution brought the mass production of ceramic tiles and thus hand-painted tiles became a characteristic feature of the tiled Victorian fireplace.

tiled-victorian-fireplaceThere were many Victorian potteries, especially in Staffordshire, and these employed cheap labour to decorate tiles, using a variety of methods. A plain glaze was created using white lead, flint, china stone and china clay, and these were ground together to form the glaze. Added metal oxides gave different colours, whilst a clear glaze was applied over any coloured decoration to enhance the design.

With regards to hand-painted tiles, artists painted directly onto them. Designs were often placed on the tile and ‘copied and pricked’ through a piece of paper. The pattern was then transferred to the tile by ‘pouncing’ through the holes with charcoal.

The most common method of decorating Victorian tiles, transfer printing, was invented by two Liverpool printers, Sadler and Green. An engraved copper plate was covered in ink and tissue paper was then pressed onto the plate. This was then placed onto the tile and the pattern transferred, ready for the artist to colour in.

Tiled Victorian fireplaces achieved maximum popularity between the years of 1880 and 1901, with tile sliders being introduced for cast iron fireplaces from 1860 onwards. These 6-inch tiles featured at either side of a fireplace opening and served a purely decorative function. Gradually, ceramic tiles were used to decorate the centre chimneypiece and fully tiled fireplaces also began to make an appearance.

The famous designer William de Morgan (1839-1917) was a founding member of the Arts and Crafts Movement. This movement was against the mass-produced goods so prevalent in the Victorian era and sought to re-establish the link between work and creator. William de Morgan created his own ceramic tile patterns, experimenting with glazes and finding ways to recreate the intense blues and greens as used in Majolica ware. The movement advocated the richly detailed Gothic style, and de Morgan’s work reflected this. Tiles often depicted medieval scenes, with intricate and colourful designs.

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Victorian Fireplace Mantels

July 30th, 2009

Depending on a family’s status, the Victorian fireplace mantel was made from slate, marble, wood or stone. The Victorian era was often referred to as The Battle of the Styles, due to the popularity of the many decorative designs from previous eras. The early and mid-Victorian period favoured the Gothic and Elizabethan styles: the Gothic was linked with the true Christian principles of morality, truthfulness and purity and the Elizabethan era invoked nostalgia for a chivalrous bygone age.

victorian-fireplace-mantelThe late Victorian age brought a mixture of styles. In direct contrast to the Georgian, Elizabethan and Jacobean periods, the Victorian era shunned uniformity and had an exuberance that appealed to all. It was customary to decorate mantels with plush velvet pelmets; over-mantels had many shelves and brackets and sometimes the whole mantelpiece was backed with a mirror – plate glass became very popular around this time. The late Victorians particularly loved Jacobean architecture, with its rich profusion of Renaissance and medieval motifs.

The Victorian architect William Burges revelled in the middle ages and he had the privilege of designing the amazing fireplace in the medieval great hall at Cardiff Castle. The stone over-mantle represents Cardiff Castle itself and the Earl of Gloucester is shown riding out to war through the castle gates, to a fanfare of trumpets from the battlements above. The scene was colourfully painted in natural colours.

The degree of ornament on a Victorian fireplace mantel related directly to social class and the social importance of a room. In working-class homes the fireplace was plain, but the over-mantle was very ornamental and made of wood, which was stained or painted.

The industrious middle classes were able to mass-produce designs that would have only been previously available to the wealthy, and thus they had grand fireplaces in the drawing and dining rooms – fireplaces featured in other rooms too, such as bedrooms, but these were on a much smaller scale. The wealthy were lucky enough to be able to choose any elaborate designs that appealed to them.

Marble became too expensive towards the end of the 19th century, so painted pine and mahogany, slate and cast iron were used for the majority of Victorian fireplace mantels.

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