The name comes from Hamsher’s favorite pastime: sitting by the fire with her dog and watching Lakers games.īuy our books at a local store,, or Barnes&. Similarly, a “dog-grate” (also called a “dog-stove”) was “a detached fire-grate standing in a fireplace upon supports called dogs,” according to the OED.īy the way, the name of the liberal blog FireDogLake doesn’t refer to firedogs, according to an article in Washingtonian magazine about the site’s founder, Jane Hamsher. These were variously called “firedogs,” “dog irons,” “iron dogs” or just “dogs.” Generally in the plural : A pair of and - irons fire - dogs. The first quotation in the OED refers to “One paire of dogges in the Chymly” (1596). Boucher thinks that and in andirons is the A.S. It was perhaps inevitable that an andiron would eventually be referred to as a “dog,” and this first came about (as far as we know) in the late 16th century.Īs one of its definitions of “dog,” the OED has this: “One of a pair of iron or brass utensils placed one on each side of a fireplace to support burning wood = andiron (more fully called fire-dogs).” The OED has citations from 1458 for “doggs of Iryn,” and from 1552 for “Dogge of yron,” to describe such implements. ![]() The word “dog,” meanwhile, has been used since the mid-1400s for a variety of mechanical devices or tools for grabbing or holding: clamps, levers, nails, screws, pincers, grappling irons, and so on. In the early days, people confused the ending of aundyrne with two Middle English spellings of “iron” – yre and yren.Īs the Oxford English Dictionary says, the ending of the word was identified in people’s minds with the old words yre, yren, and eventually “iron.” Where the Old French came from we don’t know. The presence of “iron” in later versions of the word was the result of a misunderstanding. “Andiron” (adopted from the Old French andier) has been in the English language since 1300, and was originally spelled aundyrne in English. What is the history of these words?Ī: Firedogs and andirons are the same thing – metal supports used in pairs in a fireplace to hold burning logs. I’ve always called them “andirons,” but I’ve often heard them referred to as “firedogs.” And Mark Twain calls them “dog-irons” in Huck Finn. Watch for the opening of the Bruhl-Paul-Johnson home (the History Center for Aransas County) after the first of the year, and come see the firedogs and many other interesting relics and artifacts relating to Aransas County.Q: I have a question about the things that logs rest on in a fireplace. They were handmade in 1875 by a local blacksmith for Simon Sorenson’s new home which was located on Water Street in Rockport. The soon-to-open History Center for Aransas County will house a pair of firedogs, which were graciously donated by Dan Agler. Firedog remains limited to the Southern region, but andiron is now in use everywhere. Today there also seems to be a regional distinction in the United States when they are referred to as an “andiron” or “firedog.” Andiron was once Northern, contrasting with the Southern firedog. Unlike andirons, which reached their greatest artistic development under Louis XIV of France, firedogs have little or no ornamentation. They typically stand upon short legs and are usually connected with an upright guard. Firedogs and andirons are two horizontal bars used to hold logs above the hearth in order to improve air circulation for better burning. Our collection of antique andirons consists of unique Louis XI cast iron andirons with gilded spheres, ornate brass fire dogs as well as very simple bronze. ![]() But before there were andirons, there were “firedogs.”įiredogs have been found in Switzerland dating back as far as 900-800 BC. ![]() ![]() Even when the fireplace is not being used andirons add a nice decorative. Most people are familiar with an andiron, some probably have a pair in their fireplace right now. Get the best deals on Cast Iron Andirons, Grates & Firedogs when you shop the largest online selection at . Andirons, fire dogs or chenets are all the same, they are placed in the fire to. But how many of us have noticed what was supporting those roaring logs? So many of us have wonderful memories of sitting in front of a roaring, cozy fire drinking hot chocolate, enjoying a glass of wine or reading a good book. Friends of the History Center contributor
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