Coal Vase
No example of this needle case has been found to date and it is unknown whether it was actually produced. If you have this needle
case in your possession or know of someone who has it, please contact us so that photographs of it can be
obtained and added to the this website.
Design Representation
Design Details
Needle Case Type: |
Figural |
Patent/Registered to: |
Frank J. Kendrick - Birmingham |
Patent/Design Representation #: |
Ornamental Class 1: Metal: #313960 (Provisional design #1323 registered September 8, 1876) |
Patent/Design Registration Date: |
September 7, 1877 |
Location of Patent/Design Registration: |
The National Archives (TNA) - Kew, UK |
Reference #:
|
TNA Representation - BT 43/42/313960
TNA Register - BT 44/4/313960 |
Dimensions: |
Unknown |
Material: |
Unknown |
Name Variations: |
Unknown |
Other Variations: |
Unknown |
Facts
A coal vase is a metal container that holds a small supply of coal for use with an indoor stove or heater. This type of receptacle, also
called a coal hod, coal scuttle or coal bucket, typically has either a sloping or slanted top allowing the coal to be poured onto the fire more
easily. Some also contain a small scoop for that purpose. Today coal vases are used primarily for decorative purposes since most homes
are heated with gas or electricity.
History
During the Victorian Period most homes used coal as the main energy source for both heating and cooking making it necessary to have a small
supply handy. While earlier vessels for holding coal were often plain and bulky, Victorian ones became highly decorative. The Victorians
were also responsible for enacting laws to protect workers since coal mining was a dangerous business. For example in 1842 the Mines Act
forbade the mining industry from employing anyone under the age of 10 in an underground mine. Later the 1850 Coal Mine Inspection Act and the
1870 Coal Mines Regulating Act established additional safety standards.
Miscellaneous
Coal is a hard, black rock composed of carbonized plant matter found in underground deposits. Although it’s been around as a heating fuel
since the days of the cave man, it wasn’t until the Industrial Revolution in the 18th and 19th centuries that it became the world’s leading fossil
fuel. Although coal usage has decreased in recent years due to the dangers of coal mining and the negative impact of carbon dioxide emissions
on the environment, coal is still the largest energy source for the production of electricity worldwide.
