Dr C. Dresser Attributed for Benham & Froud Pair of Brass Fire Dogs
£280 / set
This pair of brass fire dogs attributed to Dr Christopher Dresser for Benham and Froud represents the sculptural precision and industrial artistry of the Arts and Crafts movement 1880–1910. The design unites geometric form with organic rhythm, a hallmark of Dresser’s analytical approach to ornament and proportion.
Each fire dog is constructed in cast brass with a spherical central body raised on three splayed legs and surmounted by a crossbar handle ending in stylised scrolls. The simplicity of their functional geometry demonstrates Dresser’s conviction that design should be guided by utility and clarity of form. The manufacturer Benham and Froud, noted for their collaboration with Dresser, produced numerous domestic metalwares that balanced factory production with artistic intent.
This model, modest in scale yet refined in execution, expresses the transition between late Victorian ornament and the disciplined minimalism that would shape early modern design. Their survival as a matched pair preserves a direct link to one of Britain’s most influential design partnerships of the nineteenth century.
Width: 7 in (17.78 cm)
Depth: 7 in (17.78 cm)
1890-1899
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