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Fire Fiend Triptych Fireback Arthur Osborne (1855-1942), Boston, Massachusetts, c. 1882
Sold for US$3,840 inc. premium
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Elizabeth Muir
Senior Specialist, Head of Sale
Amy Griffin
Cataloguer

Paul O'Hara
Sale Coordinator & Cataloguer
Fire Fiend Triptych Fireback
the central panel depicting a Samson or Medusa-like figure flanked by flaming sunflowers or roses on the exterior panels. Likely cast by Wellington & Burrage Ironworks in Boston around 1882, when this pattern by Osborne was copyrighted.
the central panel ht. 36 in., wd.35 in.; each side panel ht. 36 in., wd. 17.5 in.
Footnotes
Note
Over the years this stunning design has commonly been misattributed as the work of Aesthetic Movement luminary Elihu Vedder, often confused for his similar work The Sun God. Both patterns were produced by Boston iron founders Wellington & Burrage in 1882, and can be seen illustrated together in that year's catalogue. For further reference, examples of Vedder's Sun God and Osborne's Fire Fiend can be compared on the websites of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Art Institute of Chicago, respectively.
Although the central panel of Fire Fiend can be seen at auction periodically, the full triptych design offered together is very rare.



