Thank you to Olga Kubareva for forwarding photos and information on this brick. Olga is a director of the Museum and Exhibition Center of the KB JSC “Apatit” in the city of Kirovsk, Murmansk region, Russia.
On a survey of an old mine in the Khibiny Mountains, several Dougall stamped bricks were found. The mine operated from c. 1930 to 1939.
James Dougall & Sons Ltd, Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire
Alternative brickworks include:
The buildings around the mine were later crushed by avalanches.
One of the Dougall bricks found by Grigoriy Ilin, also bore the Russian lettering “4 щ д”
The following information from Vladimir Smirnov, St Petersburg, is believed to be relevant to the above brickmark.
4 – Can stand for size or shape or degree of heat resistance
Ш=Шамот
Д=Динас (Dinas).
Д can also stand for Доменный, i.e. Blast-furnace
Letters Ш and Д at Russian firebricks means Shamot (Fireclay) and Dinas type (not less than 93% silicon dioxide (silica)). I have no idea how two alphabets appeared at one brickmark and which of them can indicate the origin of the sample.
********
So was this firebrick manufactured at Bonnyside, Scotland by James Dougall and also stamped with Russian cryllic lettering denoting that it is a Dinas fireclay brick. ( Note – SBH – I have not seen reference of Dougall specifically using Dinas fireclay, but ganister fireclay is associated with Dinas fireclay and certainly Dougalls manufactured bricks from ganister).
It is also entirely possible that this brick is another counterfeit of a UK manufactured brick as per these possible similar examples – click me
Julkia Rizzi states this Thistle brick was photographed as part of a coal-burning fireplace in a house in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada. Stein, Castlecary Fireclay Works, Castlecary, Stirlingshire. Stein, Manuel Firebrick and Refractory Works, Whitecross, Stirlingshire. Stein & Co, Anchor Brickworks, Denny, Stirlingshire. Milnquarter Fireclay & Gannister Works, Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire . .
Found by Sævar Gardarsson in an old house in Reykjavik, Iceland that was built in 1920. Prestongrange Brick and Tile Works, Prestonpans, East Lothian. . . .
Brian Tarbuck states this brick was found in Augusta, Maine, USA while replacing a water pipe. Allan & Mann, Port Eglinton, Glasgow Alternative brickworks include: Rutherglen Pottery, Glasgow. Mallsmire Works, Myrtle Park, Crosshill, Glasgow. ,
Found by John Barnard at Fitzroy, Falkland Islands. Stein, Castlecary Fireclay Works, Castlecary, Stirlingshire. Stein, Manuel Firebrick and Refractory Works, Whitecross, Stirlingshire. Stein & Co, Anchor Brickworks, Denny, Stirlingshire. Milnquarter Fireclay & Gannister Works, Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire .
Many thanks to Vladimir Smirnov for highlighting this brick to me which was found in the vicinity of the St. Petersburg Region, Gatchina Region, Russia by a brick collector, Alexander Korolev. It was discovered the stove of a private house. Stein, Castlecary Fireclay Works, Castlecary, Stirlingshire. Stein, Manuel Firebrick and Refractory Works, Whitecross, Stirlingshire. Stein &…
Found by Glyn Harrison at an unknown location in New Zealand. This example is not in my possession. Douglas Fireclay Works, Dalry, Ayrshire. The reference to Bigelow on this special undoubtedly refers to the Bigelow Arch Company of Detroit, USA. Bigelow-Liptak Corporation was originally incorporated in 1927 with the merger of the Bigelow Arch Company of…
Found by Ken Sousa in Massachusetts, USA. Gartcraig Fire Clay Works, By Millerston, Glasgow. . . . .
Found by Claudio Ernesto Rios. Claudio states – The bricks were found in the City of Zárate, Buenos Aires, Argentina. In a fridge (almost totally destroyed today) the fridge’s name was Smithfield Refrigerator of English capital, built in 1903, so I would believe those bricks were manufactured in the last decade of the 19th century….
Found by Patricio Peralta in an old bakery, Lincoln, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina. “Calder British Made”. Bonnybridge Silica & Fireclay Co Ltd, Bonnybridge. alt Calder Firebrick Works, Airdrie, Lanarkshire. alt Chapelhall Works, Lanarkshire. Hepworth Ceramic Holdings plc (GR-Stein Refractories Ltd. parent co) bought the Bonnybridge Silica & Fireclay Co. Ltd in 1972, closed Bonnybridge…
Found by Senja Salmi in Sääksjärvi, Mäntsälä, Finland. Senja states – We are not sure how old this house is but at least about 100 years old and it was built by the last blacksmith of this village. Bonnybridge Silica & Fireclay Co Ltd, Bonnybridge. alt Calder Firebrick Works, Airdrie, Lanarkshire. alt Chapelhall Works, Lanarkshire….
