American Empire brass andirons date to c. 1847-1850. The brass uprights feature small elongated ball-shaped finials with ring-turnings. The top finials surmount larger elongated ball-shaped finials with ring-turnings that surmount octagonal-shaped columns supported by raised scroll bases on ball feet and a wrought iron back for holding logs.
Stand: Wrought iron, scroll and foliate design. Finger hold at top, two curved arms to hold tools six inches below finger hold at top. Long, thin support has stylized leaf motif. Base is features a molded high relief foliate design.Support attached to base with a nut and bolt fastener. Shovel: Long thin round and straight arm topped with brass handle in spool-turned graduated style with knob at end. Arm is flared and curved to attach at the shovel, which is thin an flared at the mouth. Tongs: Double arm, round at bottom, flared and flattened into disks. Top of arms curved where attached to handle at central brass knob; one arm is on pivot, the other stationary. Brass handle in spool turned style with acorn knob motif at end.
Oval-shaped black cast iron stove with hinged doors on opposing long sides with latch at back and front that opens to the oven compartment (upper portion of stove); small hinged door with latch at left side (with smaller latched vent at bottom) to reach fuel compartment (bottom area).
Made by Margaretta Furnace, Henry Slaymaker, owner.
Provenance
Margaretta Furnace
to York Sheriff's Office
to James Buchanan (purchased at 1842 Sheriff's Auction)
Framed rectangular needlework, top crest slightly scalloped with hand grip. Inner frame edge scalloped. Needlework picture: Parrot in red, gold, blues, cream, small silver bead for eye, sitting among flowers including red, white, pink, roses, blue mornin
Provenance
Alexander Speer (James Buchanan's maternal first cousin)
Black cast-iron firebacks. Two sides curved out. Six repeated panels of foliate-like design. Two shorter front side panels also have small wreath molded above.
The brazier brazier is an iron grate with five horizontal bars on the front and elevated above the hearth of the fireplace with a flat iron frame decorated with low-relief tall urns with reeded bodies and acanthus foliate. The elevation aids in the circulation of air, feeding oxygen to the fire.
Marble base is doubled, smaller chair on top of larger. Metal band separate them, molded in foliate design. Column is two-toned metal with marble-vein design, slightly tapering. Oil reservoir above is shaped like a top and has eleven sets of crystals hanging from the edge of the reservoir.
Straight pair of brass candlesticks with a spring. Christian Cornelius, a Dutch immigrant silversmith, founded the Cornelius lighting business in 1827, which became Cornelius, Baker, and Company in 1835. ... The firm began by making brass lighting fixtures but later also made zinc fixtures and sculptures. The business was succeeded by Cornelius and Sons and Baker, Arnold and Company in 1869.
Rectangular white marble base. Ornately cast gilded bronze stem enhanced with scroll-shaped leaves, birds, blossoms and snails. An oval-shaped cast brass collar surmounts the stem with flat glass crystal prisms.