C1880 A KENRICK & SONS JAPANNED CAST IRON ART NOUVEAU LETTERBOX C DRESSER 10”

Description: C1870. A KENRICK & SONS JAPANNED CAST IRON Art Nouveau, Aesthetic movement period. LETTERBOX C DRESSER STYLE 10” Reg No: 3449 This is a stunning antique letter box from A Kenrick & Sons, made of cast iron with a beautiful art nouveau design. It is an original piece from the late 19th century, weighing 1.1KG and measuring 10 inches in diameter. The box is japanned, adding to its uniqueness and charm. There is very little made today with this degree of detail and fine craftsmanship. There is not another on Google search the same….If you want a unique look…here is the answer!! The letter box is a great addition to any collection of metalware and cast iron, and would make a beautiful decorative piece in any home. It is a true original, with no resemblance to any other letter box I can find. The product is made in the United Kingdom and has a rich history that can be appreciated by anyone who values antique art nouveau design. Made by Archibald Kenrick & Sons No. 9; designed in the style of Christopher Dresser (Aesthetic movement); possibly manufactured late C19 (c. 1870 - late 1880s). The pattern is very much art nouveau with floral and scroll theme. The lettering is also of the period. The Japanning is in relief and finished in a bronze colour and is very light reflective adding a distinct contrast to the un-japanned cast iron background making the lettering and the floral pattern very outstanding. It must have been on a door in a porch to have been so well preserved…..🤩 A beautiful and rare estate find…but definitely not past its sell-by date!!….will last for many a year to come. The best one I have ever seen for being in superb condition. Lovely item for an anniversary present or moving house gift idea. MEASUREMENTS: Length 10” x Height 4.5” x depth 2.5” Slot: 6” x 1 1/8” CONDITION: Excellent antique original condition. Very little rust…can’t see any on the box but some on the fixing screw bolts and nuts. RESEARCH NOTES: Japanning is a type of finish that originated as a European imitation of East Asian lacquerwork. It was first used on furniture, but was later much used on small items in metal. The word originated in the 17th century. American work, except in the carriage and early automobile industries, is more often called toleware. Georgian japanned tin tea tray—severely worn—black lacquer and gilt made in Birmingham, UK It is distinct from true East Asian lacquer, which is made by coating objects with a preparation based on the dried sap of the Toxicodendron vernicifluum tree, which was not available in Europe. Japanning is most often a heavy black "lacquer", almost like enamel paint. Black is common and japanning is often assumed to be synonymous with black japanning. The European technique uses varnishes that have a resin base, similar to shellac, applied in heat-dried layers which are then polished, to give a smooth glossy finish. It can also come in reds, greens and blues. Originating in India, China and Japan as a decorative coating for pottery, authentic East Asian lacquered ware made its way into Europe by the 17th century. In the late 17th century, high European demand (along with rumors that East Asian manufacturers reserved their higher-quality work for their domestic markets) led to the production of imitation pieces starting in Italy. Its traditional form used gold designs and pictorials to contrast with the black base colour KENRICKS, A BUSINESS NAME STILL KNOWN IN THE TOWN TODAY. The company employed hundreds of local people and produced all manner of products during its long history, beginning with cast iron items, hollow-ware, baths, castors and today is one of the leading suppliers of quality hardware to the window and door industry. Born in 1760 at Wynn Hall, Denbighshire, Archibald Kenrick moved to Birmingham c1780 and was involved in two buckle making ventures, firstly with distant relative Henry Witton, then Thomas Bolton. As the arrival of shoe laces led to a drastic reduction in the demand for buckles it was time to turn to something less dependent on fashion so having been apprenticed in the iron trade and being familiar with the processes involved he decided to set up an iron foundry. The site he chose for ‘Archibald Kenrick, Ironfounder of West Bromwich’ c1791, bordered the Birmingham canal at Spon Lane, on land leased from Mr Houghton. He began by producing cast iron cooking pots and utensils as made by other local ironfounders. However he developed and patented a new annealing process and by 1805 he produced hollow-ware with a rim, which proved very popular. Due to the successful innovation of a tramway into the ovens which saved time and heat, the firm rapidly expanded. As John Izon had done before him, Archibald built houses for rent to a few key workmen and the area locally was known as Kenrick village. Between 1818 and 1823 more adjacent land was purchased and when all available land on the West Bromwich side of the canal had been used, expansion was made to the Smethwick side. By 1852 a new foundry was erected next to the canal wharf followed by new offices and warehouses in 1878. Offices were also opened in Glasgow, Dublin and Leeds. The cast-iron hollow-ware products included saucepans, kettles, round and oval pots, box irons and coffee grinders. The ‘oddwork’ and builders’ ironmongery included hinges, door knockers, handles, bell pulls, moletraps, castors, lavatory fittings and garden furniture etc. Sales of articles for civilian consumption fell drastically at the outbreak of war in 1914 and again in 1939 but the slack in production capacity was soon taken up by munitions contracts. During the Second World War the company manufactured seven million hand grenades and 1.5 million 2-inch mortar bombs to aid the war effort. In 1949, G.F Shepherd, a retired engineer living in Australia, agreed to license the company to manufacture and sell his patented castor. William Kenrick oversaw the production of the first set of Shepherd castors, a line which was a huge success. As the castor sales continued to soar in 1961 the Shepherd Minicastor was introduced, followed by Kenrick’s first plastic castor, the patented ‘Meteor’. 1965 saw the end of Kenrick’s as an iron-founder as die cast products now accounted for 80% of output. The company was now described technically as zinc alloy die-casters and generally as hardware manufacturers. Kenrick’s diversification continued in 1978 with the introduction of aluminium extruded hardware (window handles and letterplates), aluminium racking systems and aluminium twinwheel castors. THE KENRICK FAMILY Archibald and his wife Rebecca lived at ‘Springfields’ an old mansion at the top of Roebuck Lane. Being quite close to the foundry he would ride to and from the works on a mule. The spectacle of the head of an important business jogging sedately to his works on the back of a mule was quite in keeping with the rural character of most of West Bromwich in those days. A succession of family members joined the business partnership over the years; Kenrick sons, brothers and nephews. In 1883 Kenricks became a limited company with John Arthur Kenrick as chairman. If you need more photos or information please message me...🤗 PLEASE READ: I try to describe all the items as accurately and as honestly as possible, and I always include photos or scans of the actual items. My items are usually vintage or antique, very rarely new, and condition will sometimes reflect this with minor marks, wear on gilding etc. Anything major such as cracks chips or major loss of gilding etc will be pointed out in the description and shown on the photos If you are still unsure as to the condition etc. please ask questions or request more photos BEFORE bidding or buying ***Please keep in mind, I am not an expert, but an enthusiastic collector. I do my best to research the item and its history and pass that information on to my customers, you can google items and find the same information I do. If you know anything of interest that I have not included I am always interested to learn. Vintage or pre-owned items will often show some signs of wear due to their age, and there may be something I overlooked. There can be naturally occurring manufacturer's defects, slight surface scratching, or wear consistent with normal use. Any condition outside normal vintage wear, like chips or cracks or serious defaults, will be noted.*** POSTAGE: International buyers please note: N.B. The Global Shipping Programme does not allow sellers to send combined purchases as one item, but you can, if you require more than one item put them in your basket to achieve a joint invoice. For multiple purchases please contact before committing to buy, to make sure the items can be sent in the same parcel. l dont ship directly out side the uk . I only send overseas via the EBay Global Shipping Programme (GSP). Please note that I have no control over what Ebay charge for this service, so please make sure you are happy with the price before you bid or offer for the item. 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Price: 260 GBP

Location: Ferndown

End Time: 2025-01-18T16:27:30.000Z

Shipping Cost: 76.43 GBP