5.5" x 7.5".....Collecting Doorstops by John C. & Nancy M. Smith Those lovely, colorful doorstops that have been bringing record setting prices in recent auctions have drawn the attention of folk art collectors, as well as decorators, and of course, doorstop collector enthusiasts. Generally cast in iron, they are avidly sought after by today’s collectors. Though mass produced, they were usually painted by hand, so each has become a unique treasure, appreciated both for its subject matter and the “folk art” quality of its paint, form and design. Doorstops were produced in Europe as early as the late 1700s, but became more widely manufactured beginning in the early nineteenth century in Europe, particularly in Victorian England and France. Doorstops were needed to keep doors open to insure the circulation of air, and to guard against the door being blown shut. At first, doorstops were improvised….a stone from a garden, a wedge of wood, a piece of furniture. By the mid-1800’s, doorstops had become fashionable decorative items. They served a practical and utilitarian purpose; plus added charm, color, and decorative appeal to the home. Doorstops proved to be both profitable and popular, and by the last half of the nineteenth century, English foundries were producing them in the shapes of animals, flowers and figures. Soon after the Civil War their popularity and manufacture migrated to the United States Foundries, where the frugal Yankees downsized them in size and weight. The height of doorstop popularity in the United States was the 1920s and early 1930s. Doorstops were carried in many gift shops, and even the Sears Roebuck Catalogue offered a few, including a Boston Terrier, French Bulldog and German Shepherd. Being relatively inexpensive, doorstops brought many decorating opportunities to the housewife of the 20s and 30s. She could purchase coordinated sets of cast iron accessories that would include doorstops as well as bookends, doorknockers, shade pulls, etc. Doorstops were functional and decorative at the same time, providing color and flair to the household. The themes reflected the times – Art Deco, animals, circus figures, golf, nursery rhymes, wildlife and even Teddy Roosevelt. Of course, when spring arrived and doors were opened, the flower doorstops were quite popular and some designs were widely produced. As time progressed, costs increased and manufacturing decreased. The demand for raw materials brought by World War II meant that production of doorstops virtually ceased. More than that, it is not hard to imagine that many doorstops were sacrificed to the cause. During the war, there were countless neighborhood drives to gather iron and other materials to be melted down and remolded for military purposes. Despite a few signs of life, most of the foundries closed their doors in the late 1940s and early 1950s. The end of the doorstop as a functional piece coincided with the spread of air conditioning in the 1950s and later. Doorstops simply became obsolete and passé. There are as many reasons for collecting doorstops as there are collectors. Doorstops appeal to an individual’s sense of beauty. Some people are motivated by nostalgia. They remember the doorstop at grandma’s house, and associate doorstops with the good old days, when life was simpler and less stressful. Some people have an aesthetic appreciation for them; doorstops are an art form – cast iron sculptures in miniature – expressing someone’s creative vision and execution. Others collect by theme such as cats, dogs, birds, flowers, wildlife, black memorabilia, sports, comic images and nautical. Some collectors collect only pieces made by a particular foundry, and still others collect from a combination of all of these motivations and more. There are, in fact, some collectors who use doorstops as they were originally intended – to hold open doors. Doorstops add an interesting detail to any home, and are sure to invite comment and compliments. But for the most serious collectors, there are simply not enough doors to accommodate their collection. So they have given their doorstops other places of honor in their homes. Cupboards are great for display, and antique cupboards look especially inviting when their shelves are graced with a doorstop collection. In a similar way, many collectors have custom-built shelves installed that are sturdy enough to hold their collection. Those with book shelves or libraries often make double use of the doorstops as both objects of beauty and functional bookends. Doorstops look wonderful sitting along stairways, displayed on fireplace mantels, window sills, or kitchen counters and cabinet tops. Use your imagination and decorating skills!