Pair of Wrought Iron Andirons with Polished Brass Ball Finials and Openwork Cage Bodies on Scrolled Bases

This accomplished pair of wrought iron and brass andirons draws on the rich tradition of French decorative ironwork, reinterpreting classical forms through the craft sensibility of the early 1970s. Each piece is composed in a clear vertical hierarchy: a large, perfectly spherical brass ball finial of great presence crowns the composition, its warm burnished surface catching and reflecting the firelight with an effect of considerable drama. Beneath this dominant finial, the central body of each andiron is formed by an openwork cage of twisted iron bars, arranged in a diamond lattice pattern that creates a lantern-like form — open, airy, and structurally confident.

The transition to the base is accomplished through a series of scrolled ironwork arms, which spiral outward and downward in the manner of Baroque acanthus-leaf decoration. Smaller polished brass balls accent the junctions and terminals of these scrolls, providing visual continuity with the large finial above and creating a refined system of material contrast between the matte black iron and the gleaming brass. The base rests on outward-curling volute feet that echo the scroll motifs of the upright and anchor the entire composition with a generous, stable gesture.

From the base, a long horizontal runner extends rearward to support the logs — the functional core of the object, executed here without compromise to the decorative ambition of the piece. The proportions are generous: at 36.5 cm high and 47 cm deep, these andirons are well suited to a large and formal fireplace, where their ornamental complexity will read with full clarity.

This is traditional French ironwork of high quality, drawing on centuries of craft knowledge while retaining the freshness of mid-twentieth-century manufacture. The combination of brass and iron, scroll and sphere, openwork and solid — all resolved with confidence and skill — makes this pair a distinguished addition to any fireplace of classical or transitional character.