Foundation and Crawl Space Vents: Victorian Style

I've revisited the Victorian Queen Anne house that's under construction and there is so much to report that I will need to take baby steps to get things started. That having been said, I think a good place to start would be the oval-shaped, iron foundation / crawl space vents that lace the front porch masonry below the porch.

They are unusual, to say the least, but well within keeping of the Victorian Queen Anne architectural style of the house (and they look fantastic). They were suggested to the owners by the builder and I've got a good feeling that they'll be glad they were persuaded to have them installed. Personally, I think they look great and add to the Victorian feel of the home as you approach the (soon to be built) front steps.