Fireplace Fenders Prevented Damage

A fireplace fender was a safety device used in front of the fireplace to keep coals from rolling forward on to the floor and to fend off sparks and embers. In the 18th century, a fender was usually a plate of iron.

By the Victorian era, fenders were more elaborate, particularly among the more well-to-do. They were made in brass, polished steel and cast iron. The more detail on a fender, the better the piece. Brass fenders were often ornamented with chased and pierced designs. Another version of fender consisted of closely set vertical iron rods or wires.

The low-type fenders were earlier pieces. Later, they were made higher to conceal unattractive fireplace necessities. Fenders for the kitchen had a broad flat top to use to hold serving and cooking utensils. An especially hard-to-find fireplace fender has a leather seat at each end.

Most fireplace fenders were imported from England, although some were made in America.

Specially made to use with fenders were the fender trivets. These late 18th century brass or iron pieces were made with a circular or rectangular flat frame with two hooks or prongs to fit over the top of the fender. They were used as a stand to hold a tea kettle or food warmer

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Acorn-Shaped Top Identifies Clock

An acorn clock is a small shelf clock that has an acorn-shaped top case as its distinguishing feature. To further carry out the theme, it may also have acorn-shaped finials on the side brackets.

The lower part of the clock, where the pendulum is housed, is covered with a painted glass panel, or tablet. It may be reverse painted or else decorated in such a way that one can watch the movement of the pendulum.

The clock was designed by the American clockmaker Jonathan C. Brown. If it has a label on the interior reading “The Forrestville Manufacturing Co., Bristol, Connecticut,” you have one of Brown’s clocks. Other manufacturers copied this shape, and all examples are quite scarce.

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Plump Face Once Promoted As Beauty Feature
In Europe And America

The following guide to beauty is from the book Health, Beauty and Comfort, written in 1908.
To be beautiful, you must have, at least, a plump face.
So it is decreed by the women – who decide what beauty is – and the women of the courts of Europe and American society are seeking plumpness and dimples.

Massaging, and oiling, plumping and dimpling are occupying almost as much time as housekeeping, clubs, and society. The thin faced woman is no longer the favorite.

The edict has gone forth that society women must be plump. It has issued from the mouths of those who must be obeyed, and all society is rushing off, not to the anti-fat causes, but to the anti-leans.

The king of England admires plump women; all the pretty, titled Americans – who undoubtedly lead the London styles – are plump. The queen herself is fat in the face and the belle of Newport is one of the plump ones. So what is there to do but get plump?

The duchess of Marlborough [an American] is the most conspicuous example of a plump faced woman. She is tall and slim and tips the scale at 135. She is slender in the waist line, so that her famous diamond belt measures only 22 inches.

Yet her cheeks are fat and her chest is full. Her arms are plump and her hands are almost pudgy in her pretty dimpled fatness. They are like little pink rolls of butter. There is a dimple in every knuckle and her thumb is little and pink.

What does the duchess do to get fat is often asked. There are various replies.

The first method of face plumping is by wearing plumpers in the face. This is objectionable and is only done when the face is thin and the cheeks hollow. The plumpers, which are made of wads of cotton shaped to fit the cheeks, are renewed twice a day. They give the almost babyish contour which has been so much admired.

The second method of plumping the cheeks is by massage. The cheeks are pinched and pinched, not roughly but lightly and with the finger tips. This is a Japanese method.

The third method of plumping out the cheeks is by the oil massage. This is one of the best known means. Oil is poured into the hand and is spatted into the skin, which is first prepared for it. The skin is heated and the oil is massaged into the pores. This never fails to fatten the face, but is a little trying. It takes so much time and so much patience.

Another method of fattening is kneading cold cream into the face. The skin is heated with hot cloths. While it is hot and open, the cold cream is rubbed in. However, this method is open to the objection of bringing out superfluous hair upon the face. But if a raw cucumber is rubbed in directly afterwards, this is all neutralized. The acid of the cucumber will kill the cold cream as far as the growth of superfluous hair is concerned.

Don’t wash your face with water at all if you want it fat. Keep rubbing in oil, but do not wash it out. Perspire if you can. This makes the skin fine and soft.

If you want a plump face, drink plenty of water, but don’t eat greasy foods. They will make the nose red and the face break out.

So there you have it – the directions for a fat face. It is reported there are also some India beauty secrets which take in the plumping operation, but they require trained Indian servants for application, so we won’t share them with you here.

Donna Miller

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