Shackladys Antiques

Description

A striking and architecturally scaled pair of gilt brass andirons, executed in a bold neoclassical taste and notable for their sculptural presence and refined casting. The design is composed of stacked, turned spherical elements rising in graduated form, surmounted by a lidded finial with ring-molded detail. The burnished globes exhibit a rich, warm patina, with subtle surface variations consistent with age and polishing.
Each andiron is constructed with a prominent central shaft supporting two large, highly polished spheres divided by a crisply turned baluster-form knop. The upper sphere is capped by a domed, ringed lid and compressed finial, reinforcing the verticality of the form and lending a classical urn-like silhouette.
The bases are particularly expressive, cast in high relief with heraldic and figural ornament. A crowned female masque—evocative of Renaissance or Baroque allegorical imagery—anchors the central apron. The surrounding ground is textured with a cross-hatched diaper pattern and flanked by fleur-de-lis motifs, suggesting French influence. The shaped feet terminate in scrolling supports with rosette roundels at either end, providing both visual weight and stability. The stepped plinth above the base transitions cleanly into the baluster stem.
Dimensions
Height 29 Inches
Width 15 Inches
Depth 8.5 Inches