Among the most well-known of these are the "bull head" andirons. This was especially the case for decorative andirons or fire dogs that were placed in the living and sleeping areas.Īndirons that were used for cooking in the fireplace are usually made of wrought iron and in some cases were also beautifully crafted. In combination with the dark iron, it formed a beautiful contrast in the fireplace. Until the 17th century, they were mainly made of wrought iron and cast iron starting in the 17th century, they were decorated with bronze, brass and/or ormolu, which were very scarce and precious at that time. Starting in the 16th century, more and more attention and effort went into the decoration of andirons, as true status symbols.
The options are explained in our blog: How do I cook in my fireplace with antique fireplace accessories?. Examples are a hook and a hanging trivet or a ring on a chain above the fireplace. You can also use instruments to hang food in the fireplace above or in front of the basket. You can place a grill installation in front of the basket, such as a roasting jack with which you can grill and cook. There are also other ways to cook in the fireplace.Ī fire basket is somewhat less suitable for cooking in the fireplace. You can thread all kinds of food onto the spit and grill or cook it. The only things needed for cooking with andirons are a fireplace andiron with spit hooks, a spit and a drip tray if fat comes off the food. In addition, some andirons have bowls at the top in which food was heated or kept warm.Īlthough it is no longer necessary to cook in the fireplace, it is quite an enjoyable activity. There are all kinds of tools for turning the spit mechanically, such as the fireplace grill.
That food was strung on a spit and slowly turned in front of the fire. If andirons have spit hooks at the front, then they were used for grilling food. This keeps the wood in place even better. The fire basket typically has a firebox in which the fire is burned. The crossbars of many French andirons slope downward for this reason. In addition, it is safer if burning wood cannot roll out of the fireplace. This keeps the fire together better, which makes it burn better. This prevents the wood from rolling out of the fireplace. For both, it is easier to keep a quietly burning fire going, in order to achieve environmentally friendly heating.Ģ | Prevent the wood from rolling out of the fireĪll andirons for fireplaces have an elevation at the front. If the draft is not strong, it is therefore advisable to use a tall fire basket or look for andirons or fire dogs that have their crossbars at the back high off the floor. Fire grate baskets generally have a higher fire than andirons with a fireplace grate on top. When the fire is lit, the chimney will heat up faster, which will quickly create the draft in the chimney. In addition, the elevation reduces the distance from the fire to the chimney. By elevating the fire, the air can reach the fire from all sides, so that it burns better. There are four reasons for using andirons or a fireplace basket for a fireġ | Environmentally friendly burning due to better aeration and combustionĪ fire needs a lot of air to burn well, as much as 250 - 350 m3 of air per hour. In the Netherlands, you see a mix of the two. There, you mainly see the combination of andiron with a grate. You will therefore see many more fire baskets in England than, for example, in France. In England, the use of a (small) fire basket became mandatory after the great fire in London in 1666. The first fire baskets were used in the 17th century. In addition, the decorative fireplace andiron emerged, for both in the kitchen and outside it. In the course of the 16th and 17th centuries, the design of fireplace andirons was further adapted to practical needs for cooking in and around the fireplace. Since the 16th century, andirons for fireplaces have been used in pairs, which greatly improved their function. This resulted in better air circulation to the wood, and the fire remained in its place. They usually consisted of a single rod or block with one or two elevations. The first fireplace andirons or fire dogs were found with the Romans thousands of years ago. What is the purpose of this? First, a brief history of the andiron and the fireplace basket. For thousands of years, though, fires have been lit off the ground with the help of andirons and later also with a fire basket. It is possible to light a fire on the floor of the fireplace. Andirons, fire dogs and fireplace grates have a long history
0 kommentar(er)
