PAIR OF BRASS “LEMON-TOP” ANDIRONS
Signed: J. DAVIS/ BOSTON
James Davis (active 1803-1828)
Boston, c. 1825
The lemon-shaped finials on a plinth above a hexagonal pillar set on a square pedestal with stepped, molded base with bracket feet, each with a curved arm connecting to a conforming log stop and iron billet bar. Each with impressed mark on the brass covering of the billet bar behind the log stop: J. DAVIS/ BOSTON.
H: 18½” D: 22½” W: 8½”
Condition: Good; Minor dents to each lemon finial.
Davis was an important brass founder in Boston occupying locations on Snowhill Street and 65 Prince Street before settling at 19 Union Street for most of his career. In 1828, his son, James Jr., joined the firm and they merged with Joseph Warren Revere to form the Revere Copper Company. Davis is known to have made at least six different models including four earlier, Federal, examples with splayed legs with slipper feet and two “left and right” Classical models including the present pair.
In American Museum Collections
James Davis andirons are in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Colonial Williamsburg, The Henry Ford Museum, Smithsonian National Museum of American History and Old Sturbridge Village.
Another set of Boston Andirons with matching fire tools are available on this website, here.
Pair or brass andirons with iron billet bars in the foreground 
both large lemon finials have slight dents not visible
from the front
Mt-AAA-213153