Firebacks

Description: Quasi-arched shape with forward-facing 'wings', which splay outwards towards the base; the 'wings' curve to follow the shape of the main panel but curl outwards at the top; central panel with pictorial image of, to the right, a shepherd holding a musical pipe, his right foot upon a log, upon which a dog, to the left, sits holding the shepherd's crook; top centre, a crown, on either side of which, on the curled upper parts of the 'wings', is an inward facing sheep.

Notes: This small, but unusual, casting was probably cast in an open box mould as the upcast (reverse) side of the casting shows evidence of being sand-treated. Only a very small number of such castings are known. Depth 210mm

Description: Steeply canted rectangle; no edging; upper centre, square formed of twisted rope lengths inside which are what appear to be two lions passant in pale with a circle and two short sloping lines in inverted V form above; on either side of the square is an O and an R; below the square three lengths of twisted rope extend to the bottom edge, the central one vertically and the the outer two sloping away from the centre; along the bottom is the date, each numeral separated by one of the rope lengths.

Notes: Alleged to be a representation of the arms of the O'Rourke family, who held sway in Cavan and Leitrim, the initials said to be of Owen O'Rourke. Noted in a cottage at Arigna, County Roscommon.

Inscription: O O R / 1 6 8 8

Arms: O'Rourke

Description: Arched rectangular shape; plain plate. Crowned capital ‘A’ between ‘W’ and ‘R’; divided date at top extremities of plate; single six-pointed star below ‘A’.

Notes: Earl’s coronet denotes the Earl of Ashburnham, furnace owner; ‘WR’ denotes William Rummins, furnace founder; 1813 - the furnace was blown out for the last time in late February 1813. Similar to, but narrower than the fireback at Church Farm, Penhurst (in private hands), and uses the same cipher and numbers. One of a small series of firebacks cast in the early-19th century for farms on the Ashburnham estate; this example was formerly at Great Sprays Farm, Penhurst.

Inscription: W A R / 18 * 13

Description: Arched rectangular shape; no edging.

Notes: The plain form suggests a common source with firebacks cast at Ashburnham in 1813. One of a small series of firebacks cast in the early-19th century for farms on the Ashburnham estate.

Description: Arched rectangular shape; plain edge with 49 large beads parallel with top and sides; upper centre, date in bold Arabic numerals; below date, raised rectangular panel with chamfered sides and corners and fillet edging, and a symmetrical sunburst and rainbow design in low relief.

Notes: Modern, quasi-Art Deco design

Inscription: 1990

Description: Cast-iron fireback consisting of a panel with an arched top and scrolled ears. Decorated with reliefs, foliate borders at the sides, and in the centre with a coat of arms consisting of a shield, three castles separated by a chevron with an open compass, and with crest of a bird with a leafed branch in its beak, all elaborated with foliage. Motto along arched crest; motto in scroll below arms; maker’s name along bottom.

Notes: The arms are essentially those of the Premier Grand Lodge of England, granted in 1717, differenced by the motto; the Massachusetts Lodge was founded in 1733; the blazon is an adaptation of the arms of the Worshipful Company of Masons. Joseph Webb was a Boston ironmonger and chandler; his 1765 trade card was designed by fellow Freemason Paul Revere, who may also have cast the fireback.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: THE • FREE • MASONS • ARMS / FOLLOW • REASON / SOLD • BY • JOSEPH • WEBB • BOSTON

Arms: Massachusetts Grand Lodge of Freemasons

Description: Quasi-arched shape with forward-facing 'wings', which splay outwards towards the base; the 'wings' curve to follow the shape of the main panel but curl outwards at the top; central panel with stylised image of a tree; top centre, three ostrich feathers gathered at their quills, on either side of which, on the curled upper parts of the 'wings', are a mirrored feature of uncertain type.

Notes: This small, but unusual, casting was probably cast in an open box mould. Only a very small number of such castings are known. Depth 210mm. The fireback has been repaired in the main panel and attached to a later grate.

Description: Arched rectangular shape with symmetrical scrolled ‘portico’ above, a flower vase between and circular discs at each end, symmetrical horizontal palm fronds below; pilaster with spiral design and Ionic capital on each side; central pictorial scene of a bagpiper with Elizabethan ruff and soft cap with feather in front of a vaulted ruin, on the right a flaming cauldron on a plinth.

Notes: This seems to be pastiche using various elements derived from other firebacks, notably the moulding and scrolled top are from the Lenard fireback , and the palm fronds are from elsewhere. The figure may be adapted from a painting of a bagpiper by Abraham Bloemaert (1564-1651)

Copies of this fireback are known.

Description: Fragment; rectangular plate with series of parallelogrammatic billets arranged across the top; crossed billets in corners

Description: Rectangular; plain plate; inscription in capitals split between top corners, ‘I’ crossed.

Notes: The letters are likely to have been formed by tracing their shape in the casting sand using a pointed implement.

Inscription: I R