The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-05-29
ANDRONS Arb IN DEMAND
HINTS ron PEOPLE WITH OPEN
FIREPLACES 10 FURNISH.
The Right Address Sometimes N 10
WrOaG Piaee-Old and New sladels m
IgOn and Drass--As 90 Keeping Ana.
srsmB Cfgsa- GssEe Italian Pntter,,

/ W@Ris Nkd@tt @osaar atattam futtefua
With the fashion for open freplaoa.
has CONS an increased demand for
andirons Another result Il that andirops
are sometimes used with little OF no regard
for tho appropriations % particular
forms TO special places.
Persons who know better than 20 hanv
old brass warming pans on their drawing
room walls win display in their drawing
room flreplaces andirons of patterns
originally designed for the kitchen hearth.
Kitchen andirons were usually Of inn
simple in form and provided with arms
for the kettle OF hooks for pots Soms-
times the standards had brackets 10
rcceive' plates 10 be warmed or fat brad
tops instead Of knots.
The nice proportion between the slas
Of the fireplace and the sire Of the Andiruns
Ia disreRardsd In some houses. Some
times a big fireplace 10 provided with a
pair Of pretty little old fashioned and
irons OF brass With corrugated standards
ending in knobs. Such andirons wsrs
originally used along with the Franklin
stove and rarely in large freplaoea.
They arc appropriate for a bedroom
fireplace Of small sine.
On the other hand small hreplacss are
secn with huge modern andirons II
heavy brass. expansive affairs that often
have no charm Of form or proportion
II 10 a safe 8lle that the andirons shall not
he a. high a the fireplace by inchss.
There In a sound taste 70 be observed
in the matter Of the material Of tho and.
irons Brass IL suitable for the more ele-
CANT or formal apartments az a ho,laa,
ron or iron tipped with hrnas for ~
simpler apartments. II the hall hrpplaoa
10 large. and the hearth sustained by a
wrought iron grill the andiruns iah0uld
be of wrought iron and Of good sizs. but
tho more elabuSats gormA In wrought iron
are nov considered by some persons b hs
in questionable taste.
For freplacoa % moderate alze nimpls
Andirons 81 wrought strap iron with
suitable decorations IN brass are nbprn-
pirate. Now and then you find an old
fashioned country blacksmith Who may
be trusted TO hammer out pair wrought
iron andirOns after a design furnished
and nothing IL better than such a pair al
simple design for q oosey room.
There are now and then imported from
Italy andlFons 81 brass or copper in tho
form lot seahorsaa and other Rrotanaua
creatures Some are Of charming deeiRn.
Now and then the brass or copper Ia set
In q heavy base Of ooncrste These are
appropriate 70 formal or richly and
quantity decorated rooms. The Italian
taste in this matter was delicate and ele-
CANT CENTURIES ago. and no doubt the
andirons described In -Cymbeline, 81
wA H. tw.lsf
and the material was silver, were suR-
gested TO Shakespeare by some example
81 the kind imported into sixtsanth cen
fury England from Italy.
The modern reproduction o. the Hessian
design In cast iron and painted in an
propriate colors IL hardly suitable Tor
ordinary American fireplaces. and other
designs. in which appear the realistic
or oarioatursd figures Of men or beasts.
are held 10 be not in the best taste except
for apartments designedly quaint IN
furnishing.
some excellent cast iron andirons Of
large size are imported from the Con.
tinent 81 Europe or initiated by American
makers. The best Of these are dis
dnguished by the charm Of their brAas
decorations and the care with which
the castings have been smOothed Thoas
who buy cast iron andirons must look
for cracks and Tor weak places that may
crack.
All tho older brass andirOns are easily
distinguished from the cheap modern
reproductions by the fact that the forrner
are cast and the latter spun. Brass
casting was done extremely well q cen
fury ago, and the designs Of the old brass
andirons were often excailent. They
are usually cast in several pieces and are
fitted over wrought iron frames Usually
most Of the frame h hidden with the
brass covering.
The standards are In two or three parts
that screw together and you can make q
guess az the age of the andirOns by the
condition OF the threads. IL IL possible
instantly 10 distinguish the cast nom the
spun brass andirons BY the simple test
% weight. An old fashioned palr n
cast hTaEs andirOns will outweigh the
cheapest % himsy spun brass i've or siK
times. No really well appointed house.
should harbOr the spun brass andirons
for they are easily dented and marred
and they lack the dignity Of the cas-,
andirons.
really fine pair Of old cast brass and
irons should not he trusted for repair OF
cleaning to an ineXperienced person.
They are apt % come from the hands q
the ordinary smith damaged IN sOgne way,
askew or loose. with the threads broken
from careless coupling.
lt ~ customary 20 lacquer old brass
andlrOns IN order 20 save labor in polish
ing, but there are few lacquers that will
Withstand the fire long. and the unskilled
maid or man IA apt % make the mistake
Of polishing Od the lacquer before the fire
has burned il Oh. No lacquer gives the
lustre obtained by aSthar polishing. but
there are few modern households where
II is possible % have brasses regularly
polished. Many hreplAOes are always
cold because the mistress Of the house
fears for the lacquer Of her andirOns.
Spun brass andirOns must be lacquerpd
because they viii not stand the energetic
handling necessitated by polishing The
bufiing wheel is the best substitute for
hand polishing. but Il Ia apt TO leave hair
marks. The modern TASTE for bras
andirOns Of low lustre. the satin finish ~
wheel.
Il ia better 20 buy new andirons Of good
design than any except the besa antique
Tor the latter are apt 20 be patched and
bra1ing - an art that Is practised badly
After the hall. the living room and the
dining room have been properly fitted out
with andtrons q 10 just a. well 70 got
something cheap Of modern wrought iron
or cast iron for The bedrooms. until exactly
the right thing can be picked up. Ten or
fifteen dollars viii Ne out three or four
bedrooms with enduralsls modern cast
iron andirona. and they can be sold for
aomeahing az second hand a. the better
and more appropriate articles IN wrought
iron or cast brass are bought.
THE FARMS YOU READ ABOUT.