The first photos illustrate one of a pair of console table brackets (forged mild steel) based on ones in an 18th c. Virginia home. These were mounted to a wall in the entrance hall of a high style house and held a polished marble top. They were pretty common in England, based on the numbers that are held by the Victoria and Albert museum, but only a handful survive in America that I am aware of. Alston Deas illustrates one from Charleston, SC and I think there is another pair in museum storage at Williamsburg.
My principle line of work is recreations of historical ironwork: domestic untensils, building hardware, tradesmen's tools etc. done in an 18th c. or early 19th c. style. I was a time served apprentice at Colonial Williamsburg and received my journeyman's certificate in 1995.
Copy and photos supplied by Jay T. Close.
This kind of ironwork is interesting! Historical types are usually the ones most valued. Why? Because the older ones were made with less effective tools as compared to the tools we have now. Their tools weren't that helpful before, until they invented things that made their work easier.
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