Brass foot-warmers were at one time in regular use; a very fine example, shown in Fig. 40, is of octagonal shape, covered with repoussé decoration, and fitted with a folding bail handle, facilitating its removal from place to place. There have been many copper foot-warmers, carriage warmers, and the like used in days before modern heating arrangements were known. Some years ago little copper muff-warmers were sold in the shops; but they were of no great novelty, for as far back as the seventeenth century what were known as warming boxes were made for keeping the hands warm on journeys when travelling by the very cold and draughty stage coaches. These curious little boxes of brass or copper were heated with a removable mass of iron, which could be lifted out of the box, which hinged in the centre, by means of an iron hook; just in the same way the old box irons were operated. In Figs. 41 and 42 one of these early boxes, which may be seen in the Guildhall Museum, is illustrated. Thus in olden time the comfort of travellers was attained. The old inns were welcome retreats after a stormy journey by road, and the older inns of the coaching days often contain many interesting relics of the days when the copper and brass objects we now call curious and old were new. Those objects referred to in the previous paragraphs by no means exhaust the list of houseplace curios in metal, but they may serve to point out the great interest which attaches to even common objects of everyday use when a few years have passed by and changes have been brought about in everyday usages. [Illustration: FIG. 40.--BRASS FOOT-WARMER WITH BAIL HANDLE. (_In the Victoria and Albert Museum._)] [Illustration: FIGS. 41 AND 42.--EARLY BRASS OR BRONZE HAND-WARMER, SHOWN OPEN AND CLOSED. (_In the Guildhall Museum._)] Chimney and other Ornaments.