-
1024
Description: Canted rectangular shape with canted arch; probable twisted leather edging (top and sides); top centre, initials RB formed of individual carved letters; centre, widely spaced, letters M H formed of short lengths of probable twisted leather.
Notes: An unusually shaped fireback
Inscription: RB / M H
- Decoration tags:
- canted rectangular with canted arch (shape)
- twisted leather (edging)
- simple stamps
- carved stamps
- individual letters
- text
Manufactured: in the early to mid 17th century in England.
Current location:, not known.
- Attached to series:
- Initials only firebacks
-
1025
Description: Quasi-rectangular shape; top, crowned robed statuary figure holding a book, repeated three times, interspersed with a naked child statuary figure playing a flute; bottom, shield and coronet to left, small shield, helm and crest to right, all between a crude dog figure repeated on each side; the whole plate dotted randomly with a repeated small gadrooned bead stamp.
Notes: The figures are from wall-mounted statuary. The shield and coronet are those of the Duchy of Lorraine prior to 1538; blazon: Quarterly, 1. barry of eight gules and argent (Hungary) impaling azure semy-de-lis Or a label gules (Naples); 2. argent a cross potent and four crosslets Or (Jerusalem) impaling Or four pallets gules (Aragon); 3. azure semy-de-lis Or a bordure gules (Valois-Anjou); 4. azure crusilly fitchy, two barbels addorsed Or (Bar); overall an inescutcheon Or a bend gules three alerions argent (Lorraine). The figure holding the book is that of St Catherine of Siena (see von den Driesch, pp. 220, 222).
Arms: Duchy of Lorraine
- Decoration tags:
- quasi-rectangular (shape)
- none (edging)
- carved stamps
- heraldic
- historical
- armorial
- animals
- humans
- objects
Manufactured: in the early 16th century in the Lorraine area of Germany.
Current location: not known.
- Attached to series:
- Foreign armorial firebacks
-
1193
Description: Arched rectangular shape with a 'flame' on each shoulder and a broken one on top of the arch; fillet and cavetto-moulded edging; lower centre, shield with impaled arms, dexter two bars in high relief, sinister a crowned lion rampant, all in front of a foliate cartouche terminating in mirrored swirls below the shield; above, a beaded coronet; in the arch, the date split either side of mirrored foliate swags suspended from a bow and from a flower in each shoulder, with a short central vertical swag above the coronet.
Notes: A fireback in high relief with an inserted date.
Inscription: 16 62
Arms: not known
- Decoration tags:
- arched rectangular (shape)
- fillet and cavetto (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- individual numbers
- heraldic
- armorial
- text
Manufactured: in 1662 in France.
Current location: English Salvage Ltd, North Road, Leominster, Herefordshire, England.
- Attached to series:
- Foreign armorial firebacks
-
1030
Description: Quasi-arched rectangular shape upon a moulded plinth; on a background comprising foliate swirls, a central shield, helm, coronet and elaborate mantling, with a crest of a forward facing centaur armed with a drawn bow pointed to the sinister side, and behind which are six pennons, three each side display in a v-shape; to the left, a triumph comprising a drum, draped flag on pole, concealing an arquebus, halberd and breastplate, and a broad-brimmed hat with feather; to the right, a triumph comprising a drum, a breast plate and tassets, a powder horn, and partially concealed arquebus, sword and spear, and a broad-brimmed hat with feather; at the base, a horizontal fillet with scrolled ends and squatting 'rodents'.
Notes: An uncharacteristic fireback designed and cast for the family of Joan Huydecoper (1625-1704). A variant without the base plinth and 'rodents' is in the collection of Museum Rotterdam (inv. 15224).
Inscription: ANNO 1647
Arms: Joan Huydecoper
- Decoration tags:
- complex quasi-arched rectangular (shape)
- complex individual (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- heraldic
- armorial
- text
- humans
- objects
Manufactured: in 1647 possibly in the Siegerland area of Germany.
Current location: Rijksmuseum, Museumstraat, Amsterdam South, North Holland, Netherlands.
Museum number: BK-1978-19 (part of the Rijksmuseum museum group)
- Attached to series:
- 'Dutch' Miscellaneous Firebacks
- Foreign armorial firebacks
-
1026
? x ? mmDescription: Arched rectangular central panel with overlapping leaf bud edging; prancing equestrian figure of a man in late-seventeenth century dress, with a plumed tricorn hat, his head turned to his left, his left hand holding the reins and his right hand pointing a baton beside the horse's head; quasi-arched rectangular border with overlapping leaf bud edging enclosing martial emblems (cannon, helmets etc.) to left and right, and surmounted by two reclining female figures, that to the left blowing a hunting horn, and that to the right supporting a cornucopia; between them, a sun in splendour, above which is a royal crown; at the bottom corrosion through use and damage has rendered the decoration indistinct.
Notes: The sun in splendour suggests that the figure is that of Louis XIV, of France, but the 'Dutch' style makes this less likely; an alternative identification might be Crown Prince Frederick (later King Frederick IV) of Denmark, of whom other fireback representations exist in a similar pose and with similar martial accoutriments.
- Decoration tags:
- 'Dutch' (shape)
- overlapping leaf bud (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- pictorial
- royal
- animals
- humans
- objects
Manufactured: in the late 17th century in Germany.
Current location:, not known.
- Attached to series:
- 'Dutch' Miscellaneous Firebacks
-
1266
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: 1995
- Decoration tags:
- arched rectangular (shape)
- none (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- individual numbers
- text
- objects
Manufactured: in 1995 in England.
Current location: in private hands Croydon, Greater London, England.
- Attached to series:
- Miscellaneous pattern firebacks
- 1990s Art Deco series
-
340
Description: Arched rectangular shape; gadrooned edging (top and sides); initials, in separate stamps, at top of arch; date in separate stamps, split by central spindle, below; two different spindles used as stamps, one centrally between splitting initial stamps, the other repeated twice on each side, slightly lower; above each spindle a fleur-de-lys stamp.
Notes: It is possible that the initials were intended to be 'BW' but that it was forgotten that they needed to be reversed when impressed into the mould. The same base board has been used for other firebacks dating from 1622 and 1632, and the central spindle can be be seen on another fireback of 1644. Purchased by J. H. Every at Bigges Farm, Cuckfield, Sussex, in 1918.
Inscription: W B / 16 44
- Decoration tags:
- arched rectangular (shape)
- gadrooned (edging)
- simple stamps
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- text
- objects
Manufactured: in 1644 possibly at Cuckfield Furnace in the Weald area of England.
Current location: not known.
Citation: Hughes, G. B., 21 Apr 1955, 'Old English Firebacks', Country Life, 117, pp. 1056-60.
Citation: Hughes, G. B., May 1940, 'Old English Firebacks', Apollo, 31, 185, pp. 117-120.
- Attached to series:
- Spindle series
- Spindle/distaff firebacks
- Date & initials firebacks
-
44
Description: Rectangular; astragal edging; simple diamond pattern covering whole plate, formed from evenly-spaced diagonal lines.
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- astragal (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- objects
Manufactured: .
Current location: in private hands, Cuckfield, West Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Miscellaneous pattern firebacks
-
45
Description: Rectangular; ovolo-moulded, gadrooned edging (top and sides); a vertical spindle or chair leg surmounted by a fleur-de-lys arranged three times; the date split by the middle fleur-de-lys.
Notes: The fleur-de-lys is separately stamped from the spindle, and the same spindle is seen on another fireback of the same date.
Inscription: 1641
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- gadrooned (edging)
- simple stamps
- carved stamps
- individual numbers
- heraldic
- text
- objects
Manufactured: in 1641 possibly at Cuckfield Furnace in the Weald area of England.
Current location: in private hands, Cuckfield, West Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Spindle series
- Spindle/distaff firebacks
-
46
Description: Ionic columns supporting a semi-circular arch, in the centre of which the bust of a man has a floral swag beneath; below is a quasi-arched rectangle of beads within which is the figure of Hercules, wielding a club, slaying the Nemean Lion; beneath are floral scrolls; on top of the main arch two kneeling putti hold a wreath over the bust.
Notes: Not the standard 'Dutch' type, which may indicate a different origin.
Copies of this fireback are known.
- Decoration tags:
- 'Dutch' (shape)
- fillet (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- pictorial
- mythological
- animals
- humans
- objects
Manufactured: in the early to mid 18th century in England.
Current location: in private hands, Cuckfield, West Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Late pictorial series (all)
- Late pictorial series 6