Antique early 20th century or late 19th century Victorian fire gun extinguisher. This very decorative, but very used item has lots of age related wear, which only adds to the look!! The Fire extinguisher could be restored ( they can make hundreds ! Restored / refurbished). This is reflected in the price. It could be painted, polished or sprayed. Personally I love the look of it. Unusually it still has the original wall bracket.
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Size 35 cm tall 10 cm depth
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Great in a garage etc metal canister and bracket purely decorative
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The history of fire extinguishers spans centuries, from early inventions like the "squirts" of the Middle Ages to the modern, pressurized devices we use today. Key milestones include Ambrose Godfrey's 1723 patent for a gunpowder-based extinguisher and Captain George William Manby's 1818 invention of a portable, compressed air extinguisher. Further advancements led to the development of soda-acid extinguishers, foam extinguishers, and carbon dioxide extinguishers.
Here's a more detailed look:
Early Solutions:
The concept of using water or other substances to combat fire dates back to ancient times. The Romans, for example, had fire brigades, and the "squirts" of the Middle Ages were early forms of hand-operated pumps.
18th Century:
In 1723, Ambrose Godfrey patented a fire extinguisher that used a cask of liquid and a gunpowder charge to disperse the liquid, though it was considered dangerous and impractical.
19th Century:
Captain George William Manby's 1818 invention of a portable, compressed air extinguisher using potassium carbonate solution marked a significant step forward. The soda-acid extinguisher, which used the reaction between sodium bicarbonate and sulphuric acid to create carbon dioxide pressure, was patented in 1866 by Francois Carlier.
20th Century:
Further developments included the chemical foam extinguisher (1905) and the carbon dioxide extinguisher (1924), which was particularly useful for electrical fires.
History of Fire Extinguishers : Firesafe.org.uk
Today, various types of fire extinguishers are available, each designed to tackle different types of fires (e.g., water, foam, dry powder, CO2).