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Fender 

This fender, with a dolphin-tail pattern, sections off the perimeter of the hearth of one of Centre Block’s elegant fireplaces. There are 73 wrought-iron fireplace sets found throughout the iconic building on Parliament Hill, installed during the building’s reconstruction in the 1920s.  

The project’s chief architect commissioned a renowned Montréal craftsman, Paul Beau, to create all the ironwork for the new Centre Block. Mr. Beau and his team designed and forged a variety of ornamental iron fixtures, including hand-wrought railings, balconies and fireplace sets — making Centre Block truly one of a kind. 

For every fireplace set, the workshop created a screen, fender, basket and poker, as well as a pair of both andirons and tongs. In many cases, the craftsmen incorporated symbols of Canada and the country’s European heritage. The most intricately decorated items were installed in special rooms, like the Senate Reading Room. 

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