Doe and Hope

Description

The very large and good quality Victorian rectangular hand forged and beaten iron and zinc umbrella or stick stand, having a substantial spiral twist frame comprising of twelve divisions, joined by an arched stretcher to either side, to a large zinc lined base, the whole standing on two front scroll feet and surviving from a large country estate from Victorian England.

The condition of the stand is nicely un-meddled with and thus entirely original, the zinc drip tray is original with some misshaping occurring at the edges and it sits slightly loose but remains wholly useable. The wrought iron is as strong and hard as it ever was, being hand beaten.

During the middle years of the 19th Century, hall and umbrella stands were often made wholly of cast iron, extremely complicated in design, but also of mahogany and oak. As a piece of furniture it was seldom designed: it merely occurred. This example has a little of the Gothic revival to it, but it was probably estate made for the country house where it sat and will almost certainly be unique.

A true country house piece of furniture, with a beautiful architectural feel, which deserves to once again be used and admired.