This item has only been displayed in a cabinet

Antique Victorian 9"flue cover with chain made in Germany during the late 19th or early 20th century. 

• Flue Covers: These were decorative functional objects used primarily during the summer months when wood-burning stoves were disconnected. They hung from a chain to visually block the soot-stained hole (the flue) left in the chimney wall.

• Materials: It typically consists of a lithographed paper print or hand-painted porcelain insert protected under a sheet of glass, bound together by a metal rim (often tin or brass). The backing is a thick cardboard or fiberboard panel, as seen here.

Origin Markings

• "Made in Germany" Stamp: This specific export phrasing indicates it was manufactured after 1887, following the passage of the British Merchandise Marks Act (and subsequent US Tariff Acts), which required foreign goods to explicitly state their country of origin.

• Pencil Inscriptions: The handwritten pencil markings on the cardboard backing are typical of old inventory codes, pattern numbers, or pricing notes added by the original factory, exporter, or an early antique dealer.