Period fireplaces - can they be dated?

[Bathman]

I have spent a bit of time looking at the fireplaces in my house and have a few questions. Photos of the fireplaces and tiles are on my blog:

http://victorian-house-refurb.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/period-features-fireplaces.html

1. Can the fireplaces be dated with any accuracy?
2. Are the hearth tiles likely to be original or a later addition?
3. Bearing in mind I don't want to use these as real fires, what is the best way of blocking up the chimneys? At the moment there is a metal covering closed in the fires, which I assume has loads of rubbish from the chimney built up behind it. Is it ok to just leave it like this? Or should I be sealing it up properly?

Thanks

 

[plasticpigeon]

You lucky person. They all look original to me, both the hearth tiles and fireplaces and in very good condition. I would guess late Victorian, so if that is the age of your house they are original. The metal flap is a damper flap. There probably is lots of soot and old mortar resting on top of the damper but it can be cleaned out. I would say the top of the chimney needs to be capped with something that allows ventilation but stops the rain. I am going to try a chimney cap on mine. I know this will reduce air flow so limit the heat loss. I'm not sure that completely blocking a chimney is to be recommended, but I think the best way to bock it if desired is by using a chimney balloon as it is cheap and easy to remove if necessary.

 

[88v8]

Yes, late Victorian, and the tiles, lovely. So many get painted over or thrown away, even now when you'd think people had more sense.

Match your colour scheme to the tiles. You're right, the Victorians weren't as conservative about colours as some people are now.

No, don't seal the chimney. Leave it as is. The original iron damper flap allows a small amount of ventilation, which is essential to keep the chimney dry. If you're not going to use the fireplaces - not even for a gas/coal ? - then as PP says, put a cap on the pot - elephants foot or the like - which will allow ventilation but keep the water out.

Ivor

 

[Bathman]

Thanks for the replies. I do have another question - what do people think about having these fireplaces painted white rather than leaving them the original black? I'm currently trying to decide whether to strip the paint off them. Would the Victorians have left them black or painted?

A bit off topic, but if anyone is interested I have posted up a bit about the history of the house that I could find:

http://victorian-house-refurb.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/a-little-bit-of-history.html

And also a post on the construction of the house:

http://victorian-house-refurb.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/the-house-exterior.html

 

[Feltwell]

Those fireplaces are very typical of the late Victorian period, although there's little difference between late Victorian and Edwardian.

Yes you can date them with accuracy, or at least you can date when the design was registered - the registration number is usually on them and that can be traced. The bad news is it's usually cast on the back! Look under the shelf though, I have seen them cast under there.

Rather than painting the fireplaces, if you want them black then stripping and polishing them with graphite paste looks far nicer than paint. If you want them white and they're white already - it's your house!

I would also cap the chimneys with a "pepperpot" or similar, and leave the flap in your fireplace where it is. Get the chimneys swept even if you aren't intending to use them - old soot is nasty stuff if it's damp and can damage brickwork, better to leave them clean before capping them.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pepper-Po...309?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item41716a2a5d

 

[Cottage cosy]

OOO those are lovely. I am very envious. Most of our fireplaces have been removed and replaced with horrible brick surrounds!

 

[Bathman]

Cottage Cosy - don't be too envious, we have our fair share of brick fireplaces downstairs! Added a few photos to the blog for comparison...

http://victorian-house-refurb.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/not-so-periodfireplaces.html