The Home Beautiful: A Cast Iron Fireplace with Ceramic Tiles, 1905

The Victoria & Albert Museum

The Victoria & Albert Museum is filled with almost anything imaginable from toys to diapers and diamonds to entire rooms from houses.  So, it’s not surprising that we should see an entire fireplace from 1905 in their collection.  

This fireplace is an example of the sort of modern fireplace which came about in the early Twentieth Century--its raised grate was developed when coal replaced wood as the standard domestic fuel.

Like others of the era, this fireplace is made of cast iron and set with decorative ceramic tiles. Cast-iron fireplaces were made of flat plates cast in moulds and then assembled later.  Iron founders such as Carron and Coalbrookdale offered a large range of fireplaces in their catalogs in a variety of styles and tile colors. The tiles serve as decoration, but also to reflect the heat efficiently.  

This particular cast-iron fireplace came from a house in Chiswick.  It is stamped with the name and address of the original founder, Planet Foundry Co. Ltd, Guide Bridge, Manchester.

Gifts of Grandeur: A German Cast-Iron Necklace, c. 1820

Cast-Iron Necklace
Germany, c. 1820
The Victoria & Albert Museum

In both Europe and America in the early to mid Nineteenth Century, Cast-iron jewelry was an inexpensive but fashionable accessory for people from the middle to upper classes.

 The technique was developed in Germany in 1806–7, originally to be worn during periods mourning.  Later, this kind of jewelry became the symbol of Prussian patriotism and resistance to Napoleon I in the Prussian War of Liberation fought from 1813-15.  During this period, women donated gold jewelry to their nation in exchange for iron inscribed ‘"I gave gold for iron."

Iron pieces, like this one, were often characterized by Gothic motifs.  This necklace of iron with polished steel mounts consists of sixteen links of alternating foliage and rosettes surrounded by tracery. The rosettes are set on burnished steel and a quatrefoil of tracery completes the design of each foliage link.  It was made in Germany around 1820.

Sculpture of the Day: A French Plaque Depicting Polichinelle, c. 1850

Polichinelle Plaque
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This late Nineteenth Century, French, cast-iron plaque is molded in relief with a depiction of a Polichinelle or Punch show taking place in a traditional "fit-up."

Polichinelle is seen in the proscenium opening going about his typical business of smacking an adversary with a stick.  An unusual portrayal, Polichinelle is shown as a rod puppet hanging in front of the booth suspended by a rod from his head.  By this point in puppet history, Punch, Polichinelle and Guignol were usually glove puppets, not marionettes or rod puppets.  

His hump is hollowed out, likely as a receptacle for wax tapers or spills.

Sculpture of the Day: A French Plaque Depicting Polichinelle, c. 1850

Polichinelle Plaque
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This late Nineteenth Century, French, cast-iron plaque is molded in relief with a depiction of a Polichinelle or Punch show taking place in a traditional "fit-up."

Polichinelle is seen in the proscenium opening going about his typical business of smacking an adversary with a stick.  An unusual portrayal, Polichinelle is shown as a rod puppet hanging in front of the booth suspended by a rod from his head.  By this point in puppet history, Punch, Polichinelle and Guignol were usually glove puppets, not marionettes or rod puppets.  

His hump is hollowed out, likely as a receptacle for wax tapers or spills.

Gifts of Grandeur: The Steel Vine Brooch, 1820

Cast Iron Brooch
German, 1820
The Victoria & Albert Museum

The vine leaf motif  of this attractive brooch was originally designed by Johnn Conrad Geiss who was the first designer to use both classical and gothic motifs on the same piece of jewelry.

When this brooch was made in 1820, cast-iron jewelry was an inexpensive but fashionable novelty. The style developed in Germany in 1806–7, mostly to be worn during mourning,.  Soon, however, cast-iron pieces became the symbol of Prussian patriotism and resistance to Napoleon I in the Prussian War of Liberation fought from 1813-15.  During the War of Liberation, women donated their gold jewelry to their country in exchange for iron inscribed “I gave gold for iron.”

Unfolding Pictures: The Schott Iron Fan, 1862

Cast-Iron Hand Fan
One of a Pair
Edward Schott, 1862
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This handsome, but somber, hand fan, is one of a pair which was made under the direction of Edward Schott at Ilsenburg-am-Harz, Germany, to demonstrate the fineness and delicacy which could be achieved in iron castings.

The pair was shown at the International Exhibition of 1862. The mate to this fan was presented to Princess Frederick William (later the Empress Frederick William) of Prussia (1840-1901), Queen Victoria's eldest daughter.

The segments  of filigreed  cast iron are adorned with architectural motifs and are held together at the base by a pin and at their top by a ribbon.

Gifts of Grandeur: A German Cast-Iron Necklace, c. 1820

Cast-Iron Necklace
Germany, c. 1820
The Victoria & Albert Museum

In both Europe and America in the early to mid Nineteenth Century, Cast-iron jewelry was an inexpensive but fashionable accessory for people from the middle to upper classes.

 The technique was developed in Germany in 1806–7, originally to be worn during periods mourning.  Later, this kind of jewelry became the symbol of Prussian patriotism and resistance to Napoleon I in the Prussian War of Liberation fought from 1813-15.  During this period, women donated gold jewelry to their nation in exchange for iron inscribed ‘"I gave gold for iron."

Iron pieces, like this one, were often characterized by Gothic motifs.  This necklace of iron with polished steel mounts consists of sixteen links of alternating foliage and rosettes surrounded by tracery. The rosettes are set on burnished steel and a quatrefoil of tracery completes the design of each foliage link.  It was made in Germany around 1820.

Unusual Artifacts: A Cast Iron Fireplace with Ceramic Tiles, 1905

The Victoria & Albert Museum

The Victoria & Albert Museum is filled with almost anything imaginable from toys to diapers and diamonds to entire rooms from houses.  So, it’s not surprising that we should see an entire fireplace from 1905 in their collection. 

This fireplace is an example of the sort of modern fireplace which came about in the early Twentieth Century--its raised grate was developed when coal replaced wood as the standard domestic fuel.

Like others of the era, this fireplace is made of cast iron and set with decorative ceramic tiles. Cast-iron fireplaces were made of flat plates cast in moulds and then assembled later.  Iron founders such as Carron and Coalbrookdale offered a large range of fireplaces in their catalogs in a variety of styles and tile colors.  The tiles serve as decoration, but also to reflect the heat efficiently. 

This particular cast-iron fireplace came from a house in Chiswick.  It is stamped with the name and address of the original founder, Planet Foundry Co. Ltd, Guide Bridge, Manchester.