Fire
The art of making fire in this modern age is a failing art, and no longer do the family gather around the fireplace to get warm. Technological advancement is a fine thing, but the loss of social interaction where people sat around the fireplace and spoke to each other rather than talking into a piece of plastic as is the modern way today and something we may later live to regret. The fireplace once held the focus of family life and its importance is reflected in the number of goods that were made especially for the fireplace.
Ale Mullers and Beer Warmers
- Time To Read: approximately 3 minutes 17 seconds for 591 words
Copper Ale Warmers are found in various shapes and sizes but the most popular are those of shoe or conical shape. They were thrust into the ambers to prepare a welcome drink for a cold winters night.
Andirons
- Time To Read: approximately 1 minute 40 seconds for 306 words
Andirons, have been in use since the Middle Ages, when they were made of wrought iron. At that time wood would have been used for both cooking and heating. It is suggested that originally these items were called end-irons which makes sense since they were irons placed at the ends of the fire.
Bed Warmers
- Time To Read: approximately 4 minutes 10 seconds for 760 words
The well-known brass or copper warming pan on a handle was not the only way of warming the bed with embers from the fire. There were also wooden frames designed to hold pots of fuel inside the bedclothes.
Bed Warming Pans
- Time To Read: approximately 5 minutes 41 seconds for 1041 words
Hanging a warming pan near the hearth is not just a decorator's idea. The fireplace was always a sensible place for it, so it could easily be filled with glowing coals or wood embers before being taken away to warm the bed. Using a hot stone or brick heated at the fireside is one way of carrying warmth from the hearth into bed. By the 1500's people were also taking pans filled with smouldering fuel from the fire itself.
Coal Scuttles
- Time To Read: approximately 35 seconds for 105 words
Coal scuttles are usually made of metal but wooden varieties are known. There are many shapes and sizes to suit all tastes from vertical cylinder or truncated cone with open top slanted for pouring coal on a fire. It may have one or two handles.
Fire Irons & Rests
- Time To Read: approximately 1 minute 16 seconds for 226 words
Perhaps the most easily recognisable piece of fire equipment are the long handle fire irons. The ones shown are a set of Georgian cut steel fire irons, but the younger brass ones are the most common. As time went on, the fire irons became smaller and include a brush. These smaller fire tools are called companion sets.
Fireplace Fenders
- Time To Read: approximately 2 minutes 8 seconds for 384 words
Brass fenders abound and good ones, probably early 1800's imitations can be found. It is of course difficult to determines their age, as the skill of the 1800's makers was very great.
Toasting Forks
- Time To Read: approximately 50 seconds for 152 words
The idea of sitting in front of an open fire toasting bread or buns is appealing.
