Fireplace shovel
England or United States
1875-1910
Measurements
34-1/2 in x 5-3/8 in x 1-5/8 in (dia)
Materials
Brass and iron
Credit Line
Historic Odessa Foundation, The David Wilson Mansion, Inc.
Accession Number
1971.916
Provenance
Ex coll. Mrs. E. Tatnall (Mary Corbit) Warner
Comments
The design of this fireplace shovel is similar to early (pre-1850) examples but differs in almost every detail. The shovel section is essentially rectangular rather than flared. More important, it attaches to the handle shaft in an unusual manner. The shaft ends in a thick triangular tab that is peened to the top of the shovel blade in three places, producing an attachment that is very strong and wasteful of materials. The shaft has a decorative knop in the center that is more complex than normal. Similarly, the knops adjacent to the brass handle have few, if any, early counterparts. The brass handle is of an uncharacteristic shape. It is not cast in halves and seamed, although it is peened in place at the tip.
The many differences exhibited in this shovel suggest that it was made late in the 19th century and perhaps early in the 20th.
