Antique Print, Shed Hobby, Trade skills, men's shed, fire screens, Art Nouveau, leadlight, father's present, Cassell & Company, Circa 1890  

"Metal Fire Screens with Leaded Glass Centers"

Antique Chromo-lithograph for "Work Magazine"

Published by Cassell and Company LTD., London, Paris, New York and Melbourne c.1890

Condition = Fair : Aging discoloration / Spotting at lower right and upper left : 2 x fold as issued

Size of image = 43 x 27cm (17.2 x 10.8 inches)

Description - Here we have a selection of three botanical Art Nouveau (1870-1925) designs rendered in ornate metal and color (light blue, green & tulip red) lead glass. Fig 1 is an oblong with an central oval symmetrical design featuring two long  three sectioned pale terracotta flower profiles,  three large green leaves set in pale blue glass: Fig 2 is a more circular design with three tulips & for long leaves radiating from a central base point :Figure 3. is a symmetrical shield shape with an upper semi circular blue glass beneath the handle featuring fire pale green love hearts with the major glass being the terracotta red with two additional small yellow daisy's either side of the ornate handle. Distributed around the finished screen designs are various styling details of the lead surrounds and footing styling to assist individual crafts & trades folk.

John Cassell (1817 – 1865) : 

Cassell was a British publisher printer, writer and editor, who founded the firm Cassell & Co., famous for its educational books and periodicals, pioneering the serial publication of novels. He was also a well-known tea and coffee merchant and a general business entrepreneur. A devout Christian he lobbied for the Temperance Movement publishing The Teetotal Times in 1846.  He was a social reformer who recognized the importance of education in improving the life of the working classes, and whose many publications, both magazines and books, brought learning and culture to the masses.