Lot 78
78
VARIOUS PROPERTIES
A PAIR OF CAST-IRON OWL ANDIRONS WITH MATCHING TOOLS AND STAND

Details
A PAIR OF CAST-IRON OWL ANDIRONS WITH MATCHING TOOLS AND STAND
ROSTAND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, MILFORD, CONNECTICUT, FIRST QUARTER 20TH CENTURY

The fully modelled half-round forms with ears flattened back, large yellow and black glass eyes, fully articulated breast and tail feathers, perched on an intertwined cast rustic twig base, the billet bars stamped "Rostand" and the owls stamped "407E" on reverse; together with a matching set of firetools comprising a shovel, poker, tongs and stand, each with cast patinated and black-painted brass and iron fully dimensional owl handles with brass bead eyes, the tongs with talon grips--the andirons 15in. high; the tool stand 27 1/2in. high (6)

Lot Essay

A 1921 trade catalogue of the Rostand Manufacturing Company, Brass and Iron Fireplace Fixtures (Milford, Connecticut, 1921), shows an identical pair of andirons under catalogue number 407 (p. 62), the same number stamped on the reverse of the example illustrated here. Listed at $10.00, the cast-iron owl andirons were almost the most expensive item offered on that page. The catalogue also notes that the Rostand Manufacturing Company was pleased to make to order any brass and iron fireplace fixture not otherwise available, suggesting that the firetools might be the product of an individual request (Courtesy of the Winterthur Library Printed Book and Periodical Collection.).