Firebacks

Description: Fragment; canted rectangular shape; twisted rope edging (top and sides); top right (i.e. probably top centre), unidentified (apparently inverted) ornamental capital letter 'T'; top left, a triple-loop fleur stamp; between, rose and crown.

Notes: Probably slightly more than half of the original fireback, with stamps also seen on another, commonly copied, fireback. It might reasonably be supposed that the missing half may have also included an ornamental letter, companion to the surviving example. Formerly at Bentley, Halland, Sussex.

Description: Arched rectangular shaped, the arch linked to the rectangle by cavetto curves; cavetto edging ending in two opposed spirals at top; initials below spirals; date below initials; otherwise plain.

Notes: Probably cast from a carved, edged board, with the initials and date added separately.

Inscription: I or F H / 1698

Description: Canted rectangle; twisted rope edging; irregularly spaced, 5 x 5 rope grid; damage to top right corner.

Notes: A 5 x 3 variant is also known.

Description: Quasi-rectangular; grooved dowel edging (top and sides); four impressions of a rondel dagger (c.330mm) saltirewise between two dowel crosses; two vertical lengths of dowel in line along right edge.

Notes: Rondel daggers were common in the 15th and 16th century. Grooved lengths of dowel are to be seen on other firebacks suggesting a common source. The arrangement of the daggers (each approx. 35cm long) in a saltire may also have apotropaic significance.

Description: Rectangular; ogee-moulded edging on top and side edges; symmetrical layout of date and initials; date split between left and right sides, initials in centre, arranged in triad.

Notes: One of a series of backs dating to the 1730s and 40s using very similar sets of letters and numerals.

Inscription: 17 I M I 34

Description: Arched rectangular central panel with bead edging; image of two helmeted men in 17th century dress, on a ground, carrying a huge bunch of grapes slung from a pole between them, behind are vine leaves; the initials located below the top corners; arched rectangular border, fillet edging, containing vine leaves and grapes; above, symmetrical swirling foliage descending from a scallop shell; bottom of the image obscured by corrosion damage.

Notes: The scene, drawn from the Old Testament, represents Joshua and Caleb carrying the bunch of grapes from the valley of Eshcol in the land of Canaan, back to Moses and the children of Israel (Numbers 13: 23-4); a popular subject on a variety of media in the period.

Inscription: I N

Description: Canted rectangular shape; twisted rope edging (top and sides); two approximately parallel horizontal lines of twisted rope across the upper centre; from the upper line and starting at the top corners, seven regularly spaced vertical lines of twisted rope extending to the top edge.

Notes: A simple rope design without apotropaic significance.

Copies of this fireback are known.