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Some objects become more interesting once removed from the setting for which they were originally made. This week's featured arrival is a Late Victorian English Buff Terracotta Crown Chimney Pot, dating to around 1880 — a substantial piece of 19th-century architectural design that once belonged high above the roofline.

What particularly caught my attention is the amount of thought given to its construction. A square chamfered base rises through a heavily moulded cylindrical body to an unusual vented section with projecting corbel-like ornament, paired rings and a dramatic pointed crown. Its mottled buff surface still carries traces of green algae and more than a century of natural exterior weathering.

It is a wonderful example of how the Victorians could turn an entirely functional building component into something genuinely architectural.

View the crown

A substantial Late Victorian English Buff Terracotta Crown Chimney Pot c.1880, distinguished by its deeply moulded architectural profile, vented upper body and dramatic pointed crown. Its unusually elaborate construction and naturally weathered buff surface give it the presence of architectural sculpture while retaining the functional character of a 19th-century chimney pot.

From the Campbell Vintage Journal

When Function Became Architecture

The Victorian chimney pot was fundamentally functional, but by the later 19th century it could become an important part of a building's architectural composition. The Journal looks more closely at crown forms, buff architectural terracotta, Victorian manufacturing and why the weathered surfaces of these surviving objects matter.

Look more closely corbel-like ornament →

Sometimes the most interesting objects are those we were never really meant to notice. Brought down from the roofline and seen at eye level, this one reveals just how much thought the Victorians could put into even the most functional parts of a building.

If you'd like to discuss the chimney pot, or need further details on any of the other pieces, simply reply to this email and I'll be happy to help.

Mark

© Campbell Vintage

Vintage and antique furniture, objects selected for material integrity, craftsmanship and enduring design.

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