A PAIR OF AMERICAN POLYCHROME PAINTED CAST IRON HESSIAN SOLDIER FORM ANDIRONS, 19TH CENTURY each in marching form. 44cm high, 25cm wide, 43cm deep Provenance: Dawesfield House, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, USA Lots 92 - 175 form part of the original contents of Dawesfield, Lewis Lane, Ambler, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania - an iconic American farmhouse built by Abraham Dawes and by descent through generations of the female line. It served as the Revolutionary Headquarters of General George Washington from 20th October until 2nd November, 1777. Hessian soldiers were a group of feared German mercenary troops renowned for their fighting. Hessians were hired by the British to serve as auxiliaries during the American Revolution toward the end of the eighteenth century. Hessians traditionally wore tall hats with brass plates, blue and red coats, with coloured trim or facing to indicate which regiment they belonged to. M. Bibi Foundry, operating in Pennsylvania c. 1900, patented the design for andirons in the Hessian Soldiers marching in review with their swords held upright. A closely related pair of Hessian andirons, in the same distinctive form, was part of the Peggy and David Rockerfeller collection, sold at Christie’s New York, 9/10/11,May 2018, lot 1702.