Lot 139
HENRY JECKELL (1838-1917) FOR ROBBINS & CO., DUDLEY
PAIR OF AESTHETIC MOVEMENT FIREDOGS, 1879
Auction: Design Since 1860 Day One | Wed 14th October | Lots 1 to 245
Description
brass, stamped registration lozenge (2)
Dimensions
12.5cm wide, 26.5cm high, 20cm deep
Footnote
Henry Jeckell was the younger brother of architect and designer Thomas Jeckyll. Jeckyll’s family were originally Jeckells, however Thomas changed his name, perhaps as an affectation to elevate his social status and lay a claim to belonging to an older, more established family line. The nature of the professional relationship between the two brothers is hard to decipher. Henry is listed as an architect in London in 1868 but there is no record of him being connected with Thomas's office. Further, by 1872 Henry had ceased practicing as an architect and become the director-designer of the foundry Robbins & Co. in Dudley. Robbins & Co. counted Thomas Jeckyll amongst their employees, and held manufacturing rights to his designs.
Whilst Thomas lived until 1881, he suffered such a deterioration in his mental state, that by 1876 his brother facilitated his move into a private asylum. These firedogs bear a registration lozenge dated for 1879, hence their attribution to Henry Jeckell, rather than his elder brother.