Dr. Christopher Dresser for Coalbrookdale – Aesthetic Movement Cast Iron Fire Fender
£5,500
A Coalbrookdale cast iron fire fender designed by Dr Christopher Dresser, with pierced and floral ornament typical of the Aesthetic Movement (1860–1900).
This cast iron fire fender was designed by Dr Christopher Dresser for Coalbrookdale, one of the most celebrated collaborations of the Aesthetic Movement (1860–1900). Dresser’s radical approach to industrial design fused botanical naturalism with structural geometry, transforming functional domestic metalwork into works of disciplined beauty.
The rectangular fender displays a continuous pierced band of circular and foliate motifs framed by moulded borders. Each corner rises to turned uprights with finials, united by horizontal rails and bracketed supports, balancing ornament with mass. The surface retains the deep graphite tone characteristic of Coalbrookdale’s foundry finish.
Produced circa 1875, this design reflects Dresser’s broader theory that art should serve utility while embodying moral clarity through form. Comparable examples appear in Coalbrookdale Company Catalogues and in the collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
The piece encapsulates the intellectual and artistic ideals of the movement, nature abstracted into order, industry elevated by design.
Width: 54.72 in (139 cm)
Depth: 14.57 in (37 cm)
1870-1879
-thumb.jpg)
