Q:I found an old pair of iron andirons in my grandparents’ basement. There’s an impressed mark on it that says “Bradley & Hubbard.” What can you tell me about the company?

A:In 1854 Walter Hubbard and his brother-in-law, Nathaniel Lyman Bradley, formed a partnership in Meriden, Conn., to make clocks and various metal household objects, including andirons. Eventually, Bradley & Hubbard became best-known for its lamps. The company was bought by another Meriden firm, Charles Parker Co., in 1940. Bradley & Hubbard made iron andirons in several different designs. Depending on type and condition, they sell for hundreds of dollars into the low thousands.

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