Apple Blossom Fireplace Surround — J.G. & J.F. Low Art Tile Works, Chelsea, Massachusetts, c. 1881–1884

Description

This is a complete Apple Blossom fireplace surround produced by the J.G. & J.F. Low Art Tile Works of Chelsea, Massachusetts — one of the most important American art tile manufacturers of the late nineteenth century.

The set features hand-modeled apple blossom branches in high relief, with flowering branches rising along each side of the surround and meeting at the top. The blossoms, buds, and gnarled branches are rendered with remarkable depth and naturalism, characteristic of Low’s celebrated modeling technique.

The glaze is a rich golden amber with an iridescent quality — a hallmark of the Low factory’s mastery of ceramic chemistry.

About J.G. & J.F. Low Art Tile Works

John Gardner Low founded the company in 1877 after studying painting in Paris and becoming captivated by decorative tiles at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition. Low’s tiles won medals at the Cincinnati Industrial Exposition, the gold medal at Crewe England, and honors from the American Institute of New York. In 1882, an exhibition at the Fine Art Society on New Bond Street, London drew a visit from the Prince and Princess of Wales.

Low tiles are held today in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, and the Driehaus Museum in Chicago. The factory ceased production around 1902–1903.

Free shipping included. Local pickup available in Cincinnati, Ohio.