Pair of Arts and Crafts Cast Iron Fire Dogs in the Style of Dr C. Dresser
£640 / set
This pair of cast iron fire dogs in the style of Dr Christopher Dresser was registered in December 1875, at the threshold of the Arts and Crafts movement (1880–1910). Their form reflects Dresser’s early experiments with geometric reduction and stylised naturalism, bridging the mid-Victorian decorative idiom and the rational design principles that would define his later work.
Each fire dog is constructed in cast iron with sharply profiled uprights surmounted by stylised foliate finials, the side supports pierced with scrolling botanical motifs enclosed within an architectural frame. The design exhibits Dresser’s fascination with balance, symmetry, and industrial reproducibility, concepts he promoted through his collaborations with progressive foundries.
The pair encapsulates the dialogue between artistry and manufacture central to Dresser’s philosophy, where ornament was derived from structure rather than applied decoration. Their survival illustrates the enduring clarity and sculptural presence of Dresser’s metalwork designs, which helped shape the emergence of modern British design thought.
Width: 7 in (17.78 cm)
Depth: 9 in (22.86 cm)
