Posted 9 years ago
FelicityHoad
(1 item)
We found this fireplace unassembled in the 'do not enter' corner of an antique shop ten years ago. The owner said it had come out of an old house in Point Clare, New South Wales, Australia. The iron sections are stamped Carron (of Edinburgh) and the three huge tiles with mitred corners are marked Minton on the reverse.
We haven't seen any other fireplace tiles of this type or design in ten years of looking - does anyone have more infomation on them? Were they too tricky to manufacture and install?
Wow!!!Carron Iron works was just up the road from where I grew up! That’s the name of the town too. I guess they used Edinburgh because it would be more recognizable overseas. They would have made all the iron castings for the fireplace. The tiles were probably custom made to fit that particular fireplace. It looks like there’s a date in roman numerals on the back of the tile,but I can’t see it too well.
They are stunning!
Here is a link to the Stoke-on-Trent museum where they have archival material on many of the Staffordshire potteries. You could also ask Steve Birks at the potteries.org to point you in the right direction. I don’t know if Minton has its own museum as it was bought over by, I think, Royal Doulton.
I think it may have been a custom piece though
http://www.stokemuseums.org.uk/collections/ceramics/
Carron was well known for their cannons- the Carronades were used in the 18th century on merchant ships to protect them from American and French privateers or pirates. The foundry is gone now, but they left the small area where they still have some of the cannons on display.
This guy may be able to help. there is also a book produced by Minton & Hollins which shows pics of patterns. You may be able to find it at your local library. I think your tiles predate their partnership though
http://etruscanmajolica.blogspot.com/2011/02/minton-majolica-tiles.html