Pair of Wrought Iron Andirons with Ring and Heart Decoration. French Work. V

Each andiron features a flat upright whose top blooms into a forged ring enclosing a solid heart, a popular motif full of tenderness that marks the hand of a village blacksmith. The front legs form an arc with delicately curled feet in a volute, while the log holder bar slopes backward, simply ending in a crook. The iron, black and deep, bears the clear traces of hammering. This artisanal work from around 1900 belongs to the great tradition of French rural forging, where andirons with symbolic motifs—hearts, rings, roosters—accompanied the hearths of farms and manor houses. Their naive and sincere design appeals today to the most contemporary interiors. Condition report: Good overall condition. Forged iron with an old black patina, natural oxidation, and signs of use typical of household objects. An endearing pair that gives soul to a country fireplace as well as to an urban hearth.