Fire screens were once common

#MiddleburyCT #FireScreen #TrenchArt

Now that we have electric lights and heating, lighting a fire in the fireplace feels like something special. Spend a few minutes in front of one, though, and you’ll remember why technology has moved on. Between the intense heat and light of the flames and the danger of stray sparks, having an open flame indoors isn’t the best idea. That’s where fire screens came in.

This stained-glass fire screen looks like a work of art. In front of a fire, it would look beautiful as well as providing protection from the flames. (Kovels.com photo)

By the late 18th century, they were made of various materials like wood, leather, wicker and papier-mache. Metal was not a popular material; it would get too hot. With everyone gathered around the fire, the fire screen would have had a prominent place in the room, so they were made to be decorative as well as practical. Fabric covers with woven or embroidered designs were popular. So were paintings.

In the late 1800s, stained glass screens, like the one pictured, which sold for $800 at Morphy Auctions, became fashionable. With the bright, flickering flames behind them, they must have been especially beautiful.

Q: I just read your article on WWI trench art. I have some that I would like to sell. It was acquired from the train engineer Otto Henning, who was an engineer on the train that pulled the train car on which the armistice was signed. What I have is an ash tray made from a cannon shell casing, a model biplane made out of a rifle casing, and a picture of Otto. The engineering battalion is etched on the biplane. What is the market for such items?

A: Trench art is usually collected as folk art or war memorabilia. It sometimes sells at auctions for firearms or metal items like coins and jewelry, but usually gets lower prices there. The market for folk art can be difficult to gauge; the best way to do so is usually to visit shows and talk to dealers to see what is selling. Trench art is not as popular as some other forms of folk art. Pieces like ashtrays and models usually sell for about $50 to $150. In your case, the connection to a historical figure and specific event may increase the value.

TIP: Never polish trench art pieces made of brass shell casings. Collectors prefer the dark-colored metal.

Current Prices
Bank, mechanical, carousel, pierced canopy, red and white, black and white trim, yellow, figures on white horses, 20th century, 5 inches, $125.
Folk art, picture, theorem, strawberry tree, on velvet, signed, frame, Bill Rank, 15 x 13 inches, $280.
Jewelry, pendant, diamond shape, center photograph, Martin Luther King Jr., under glass dome, “I have a dream” on reverse, pierced edge, silver tone, c. 1963, 2 1/2 x 2 inches, $330.
Cut glass, wine, cranberry to yellow, diamonds, engraved flowers, clear stem, ray cut foot, 8 inches, $2,040.

For more collecting news, tips and resources, visit www.Kovels.com.

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