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Garden Ornaments in Harmony with Nature |
by Kathryn Meehan
Leisure time was on the rise by the late nineteenth century,
resulting in an increased interest in gardening, conservation, and
spending time out-of-doors. The economic gains that made this
possible were fueled by the industrial revolution, which saw eager
manufacturers responding to expanding markets that included
garden amenities such as the birdbaths that are now desirable
antiques.
Property owners with modest budgets gravitated to the new
mass-produced birdbaths. Small in scale with classically formed
bowls elegantly mounted on columnlike pedestals or placed near
the ground, they fit attractively into almost any garden space Available, affordable, appropriate, and tasteful, they satisfied
the needs of an upwardly mobile America.
“There is no limit to the
forms and shapes of birdbaths,
from a great rock with a
saucer cut out of it to the
most ornamental form
of concrete or marble.”
Designs and Materials
The earliest designs of manufactured birdbaths were borrowed
from antique Italian ornaments. With the turn of the century,
the market expanded, and so did the decorative range. Cast
or carved in a variety of materials, figural elements of cherubic
children, putti, birds, frogs, turtles , and squirrels, as well as
floral motifs and rusticated tree branches were combined with
bowls and bases for an endless variety of products.
Birdbaths were most commonly cast from artificial or composition
stone, a concrete made from water, Portland cement, sand,
and stone of various minerals in particle or dust form. |
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Guidelines for Collectors
Originality
Few birdbaths identify a production date and origin of manufacture,
so determining this information can be difficult.
Antiques dealer Aileen Minor notes that some of the older
companies still in operation continue to produce castings from
original molds, though they use contemporary techniques,
such as welding instead of bolting together metal components,
and use glazes that no longer contain lead. Those attempting
to pass off new birdbaths as antiques often accomplish this by
taking castings of original examples, though this process
generally results in shrinkage and a less delineated cast
impression. Reproductions also often show the residues of
casting, such as rough or sharp edges, that would have been
burnished off originals.
Condition
Antique birdbaths will show wear and patina from years of
exposure to the elements. Exposed surfaces of old cast stone
may darken in color from weathering or retain evidence of
mineral residue from constant contact with water: verify with
the dealer whether the birdbath's material will withstand
freezing and thawing. If considering a two-part birdbath, try to
determine if the pieces are original to each other or "married,"
and decide how important that is to its look and function. If
only the bowl survives, place it on a pedestal or on a platform
on the ground, which can be covered with a decorative vine.
The bowl must not rest directly on the earth. |
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Natural materials including marble, granite, Indiana
limestone, and sandstone, were handsomely carved into the most
expensive examples.
Artists employed by American art potteries turned their skills to
creating glazed terra cotta birdbaths for new garden ware lines,
expanding buyers’ options by introducing elements of color. Birdbaths were also cast from various metals: iron,
lead, bronze, and aluminum, among them. The venerable J. W.
Fiske Iron Works of New York City was among the firms to
follow experts’ recommendations for attracting birds through the
sound of running water and offered iron bird fountains, finished
in either a bronzed or painted finish.
When selecting a birdbath, safety and security are important.
The rim should be comfortable for perching birds—not too sharp
nor too slippery for secure footing—with gently sloping sides.
The bowl should also be shallow enough for the birds to stand
and bathe in. Bowls of two-part birdbaths should be mounted
securely on their bases. Not only could an unstable part fall and
be damaged, it could also result in injury to a bystander.
Placed on a lawn, tucked into shrubbery, or featured as a focal
point in a bed of flowers, antique birdbaths are attractive visual
ornaments that bring beauty and song to a garden.
Kathryn Meehan is a garden historian and former assistant
chief of horticulture at the Smithsonian Institution,
Washington, D.C. |
See other News and Articles |
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Aileen Minor American Antiques
208 South Liberty Street
Post Office Box 410
Centreville, Maryland 21617
410-758-1489
aileen@aileenminor.com
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