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Lot Essay
Thomas Jeckyll (1827-1881) began working for Barnard, Bishop & Barnard, the Norwich based brass and iron foundry in 1859, as their leading designer. He trained as an architect, but is best known for his metalwork designs for gates, railings, garden benches, seats and fire grates and tools.
In 1876 at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia and in 1878 at the Paris Exposition Universelle Jeckyll incorporated sunflowers in pavillion railings. The design was adapted and sunflower andirons were advertised in the Barnard, Bishop and Barnard catalogues of 1878 and 1884. They could be purchased in either cast iron or brass. The price of the cast iron set varied according to the size of the firegrate and cost either £14 or £15.
A similar pair of andirons are displayed in the Peacock Room in the Freer Gallery, Washington, where the room Jeckyll designed for Frederick Leyland is housed. Jeckyll had invited Whistler to contribute to the room but the latter instead obscured a large proportion of the original scheme with various alterations.
In 1876 at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia and in 1878 at the Paris Exposition Universelle Jeckyll incorporated sunflowers in pavillion railings. The design was adapted and sunflower andirons were advertised in the Barnard, Bishop and Barnard catalogues of 1878 and 1884. They could be purchased in either cast iron or brass. The price of the cast iron set varied according to the size of the firegrate and cost either £14 or £15.
A similar pair of andirons are displayed in the Peacock Room in the Freer Gallery, Washington, where the room Jeckyll designed for Frederick Leyland is housed. Jeckyll had invited Whistler to contribute to the room but the latter instead obscured a large proportion of the original scheme with various alterations.