Our collection of antique fire guards & screens is the epitome of style and charm with examples ranging from Baroque to Arts and Crafts, Rococo and Art Nouveau.
Antique fire screens serve a vital function when you have a working fireplace. Not only do they lessen the sometimes-scorching heat from a fire, but they can also protect against sparks, which may damage soft furnishings and even clothing!
Antique fire guards are often fitted with a fine mesh to block sparks, so it is important to choose one that is an appropriate size if the fire will be in use. Small fire guards are perfect when placed in front of a register grate as the fire is smaller but for a larger fireplace, such as an inglenook, a much bigger antique fire screen would be required.
Antique fire screens can also be used purely for decorative purposes, as they were often designed to be wonderfully ornate. French fire screens are particularly so, sometimes gilded so they glow within the opening of a fireplace. Bronze fire screens such as these are often very high-quality objects, so they provide a wonderful feature whether they are used for decoration only or serve a practical function during the colder months.
Their English counterparts can also be decorative. Peacock fire screens for example are the perfect fireplace accessory. When open, their leaves form the shape of a peacock’s tail, and when closed these leaves fold neatly together.
Tapestry fire screens are also highly decorative and were very popular in the 18th and 19th centuries. It was a pastime of women to embroider or weave panels for these screens, which would then protect their fair complexions from the glare of the fire. Victorian fire guards are often inset with needlework or tapestry panels that were made by women at home, rather than sold with these elements already fitted.
For a more rustic interior, an Arts and Crafts copper fire screen would work well, as they were often handmade. As these fire screens were beaten into shape, the finish is more understated and often works well with stone or wooden fireplaces.
We have a wide range of antique fire screens on this page, but if you are looking for anything specific, please do not hesitate to contact us.