Firebacks

All of them

1090 results

  1. 1284

    gardner_03.jpg
    ~760 x ~650 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shape; gadrooned edging (top and sides); initials, in separate stamps, at top of arch; date probably in separate stamps, below; spindle used as a stamp repeated three times, one between date and initial stamps, the other two below to left and right.

    Notes: The same base board and spindle have been used for other firebacks of the same period. A similar casting (no. 299) has the 'W' in a slightly different position. Formerly at Warnham Court, Sussex.

    Inscription: I W / 16 22

    Manufactured: in 1622 possibly at Cuckfield Furnace in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: not known.

    Citation: Gardner, J. S., 1898, 'Iron Casting in the Weald', Archaeologia, 56, 1, pp. 133-164.

  2. 1234

    gardner_07.jpg
    ~960 x ~650 mm

    Description: Rectangular shape; overlapping laurel leaf on astragal edging; top centre, English royal crown above an arch-shaped laurel garland, the top tied with ribbon; beneath, a palm garland of the same shape but inverted, tied at the bottom, encircling twin letter Cs, one reversed; to left and right of centre, split date, 1667.

    Notes: Perhaps commemorating the Peace of Breda which brought the Second Dutch War to an end, the twin letter Cs probably represent King Charles II and Queen Catherine. J. Starkie Gardner (1898, p. 152) misread the date as 1661 and interpreted it as celebrating the Restoration. A similar casting was lot 76, Simon Drieu & Co. auctioneers, Jersey, 20 Jul 2022.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: 16 67

    Manufactured: in 1667 in England.

    Current location:, not known.

    Citation: Gardner, J. S., 1898, 'Iron Casting in the Weald', Archaeologia, 56, 1, pp. 133-164.

  3. 301

    gardner_19a.jpg
    910 x 520 mm

    Description: Rectangular; inset twisted rope edging (top and sides); crowned Tudor royal shield stamp repeated three times across top, each pair interspersed with an 'imp' figure with right arm raised; below each shield, rectangular stamp with indistinct ?rose design, each pair interspersed with a twisted rope saltire.

    Notes: The crowned shield and 'imp' figure associate this fireback with others of the Royal series; the saltires may have apotropaic significance. Illustration from Starkie Gardner 1898, p. 143.

    Arms: Tudor royal arms of England

    Manufactured: in the mid 16th century in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Stone House, Rushlake Green, Warbleton, East Sussex, England.

    Citation: Gardner, J. S., 1898, 'Iron Casting in the Weald', Archaeologia, 56, 1, pp. 133-164.

  4. 900

    gardner_21.jpg
    ? x ? mm

    Description: Low stepped-arched rectangular shape; ovolo-moulded edging; central shield backed by a cartouche, surrounded by grape bunches, vines and leaves.

    Notes: Arms of the Worshipful Company of Vintners - sable, a chevron between three tuns argent - were granted in 1442. From a photograph in the J. Starkie Gardner Collection, Victoria & Albert Museum, Archive of Art and Design (AAD/2014/8).

    Arms: Worshipful Company of Vintners

    Manufactured: in the early to mid 17th century in England.

    Current location:, not known.

  5. 1281

    garths,_30_jan_2015,_lot_2347.jpg
    737 x 584 mm

    Description: Composite; arched rectangular shaped, armorial fireback, cavetto edging, with Stuart Royal arms, garter, supporters, crown and motto, and 1639 date above crown; this overlies a rectangular plate with fillet edging; top centre in the space each side of the central shield, an initial letter - W to left, C to right.

    Notes: One of several variants using a fireback with the English Stuart royal arms, the date probably altered according to when it was cast. The original date of the fireback was probably 1619. Garth's Auctioneers, Columbus, OH, 3 Jan 2015, lot 2347 ($300).

    Inscription: 1639 / W C

    Arms: English Stuart royal

    Manufactured: in 1639 possibly in the Forest of Dean area of England.

    Current location:, not known.

  6. 1214

    geddington,_boughton_house_01.jpg
    860 x 1250 mm

    Description: Rectangular shape; no edging; shield of the 2nd Duke of Montagu surrounded by the Garter and surmounted by a ducal coronet.

    Notes: One of four firebacks at Boughton House, Northamptonshire, cast with the ducal arms and the Garter having a diameter of 77cm. Fifty firebacks were cast for the house between 1743 and 1748 by Richard Ford, probably at Nibthwaite Furnace, but also possibly at Newland furnace, both then in north Lancashire. The arms are blazoned: Quarterly, 1st & 4th: Argent, three fusils conjoined in fess gules, a bordure sable (Montagu); 2nd & 3rd: Or an eagle displayed vert beaked and membered gules (Monthermer); on an escutcheon of pretence, Sable a lion rampant Argent a canton Argent charged with a cross Gules (Churchill); John, 2nd Duke of Montagu married Mary, daughter and co-heiress of John, 1st Duke of Marlborough.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: HONI.SOIT.QUI.MAL.Y.PENSE

    Arms: Montagu quartering Monthermer with Churchill in an escutcheon of pretence - John Montagu, 2nd Duke of Montagu, KG

    Manufactured: in the mid 18th century probably at Newland Furnace in the Furness area of England.

    Current location: Boughton House, Geddington, Northamptonshire, England.

    Citation: Hodgkinson, J. S., Spring 2022, 'The Boughton House Firebacks', Base Thoughts, Newsletter of the Antique Metalware Society, pp. 10-11.

  7. 1215

    geddington,_boughton_house_02.jpg
    500 x 590 mm

    Description: Rectangular shape; no edging; shield of the 2nd Duke of Montagu surrounded by the Garter and surmounted by a ducal coronet.

    Notes: One of four firebacks at Boughton House, Northamptonshire, cast with the ducal arms and the Garter having a diameter of 31cm. Fifty firebacks were cast for the house between 1743 and 1748 by Richard Ford, probably at Nibthwaite Furnace, but also possibly at Newland furnace, both then in north Lancashire. The arms are blazoned: Quarterly, 1st & 4th: Argent, three fusils conjoined in fess gules, a bordure sable (Montagu); 2nd & 3rd: Or an eagle displayed vert beaked and membered gules (Monthermer); on an escutcheon of pretence, Sable a lion rampant Argent a canton Argent charged with a cross Gules (Churchill); John, 2nd Duke of Montagu married Mary, daughter and co-heiress of John, 1st Duke of Marlborough.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: HONI.SOIT.QUI.MAL.Y.PENSE

    Arms: Montagu quartering Monthermer with Churchill in an escutcheon of pretence - John Montagu, 2nd Duke of Montagu, KG

    Manufactured: in the mid 18th century probably at Newland Furnace in the Furness area of England.

    Current location: Boughton House, Geddington, Northamptonshire, England.

    Citation: Hodgkinson, J. S., Spring 2022, 'The Boughton House Firebacks', Base Thoughts, Newsletter of the Antique Metalware Society, pp. 10-11.

  8. 1216

    geddington,_boughton_house_03.jpg
    440 x 710 mm

    Description: Rectangular shape; no edging; shield of the 2nd Duke of Montagu surrounded by the Garter and surmounted by a ducal coronet.

    Notes: One of six firebacks at Boughton House, Northamptonshire, cast with the ducal arms and the Garter having a diameter of 40cm. Fifty firebacks were cast for the house between 1743 and 1748 by Richard Ford, probably at Nibthwaite Furnace, but also possibly at Newland furnace, both then in north Lancashire. The arms are blazoned: Quarterly, 1st & 4th: Argent, three fusils conjoined in fess gules, a bordure sable (Montagu); 2nd & 3rd: Or an eagle displayed vert beaked and membered gules (Monthermer); on an escutcheon of pretence, Sable a lion rampant Argent a canton Argent charged with a cross Gules (Churchill); John, 2nd Duke of Montagu married Mary, daughter and co-heiress of John, 1st Duke of Marlborough.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: HONI.SOIT.QUI.MAL.Y.PENSE

    Arms: Montagu quartering Monthermer with Churchill in an escutcheon of pretence - John Montagu, 2nd Duke of Montagu, KG

    Manufactured: in the mid 18th century probably at Newland Furnace in the Furness area of England.

    Current location: Boughton House, Geddington, Northamptonshire, England.

    Citation: Hodgkinson, J. S., Spring 2022, 'The Boughton House Firebacks', Base Thoughts, Newsletter of the Antique Metalware Society, pp. 10-11.

  9. 1217

    geddington,_boughton_house_04.jpg
    580 x 790 mm

    Description: Rectangular shape; no edging; shield of the 2nd Duke of Montagu surrounded by the Garter and surmounted by a ducal coronet.

    Notes: One of 23 firebacks at Boughton House, Northamptonshire, cast with the ducal arms and the Garter having a diameter of 48cm. Fifty firebacks were cast for the house between 1743 and 1748 by Richard Ford, probably at Nibthwaite Furnace, but also possibly at Newland furnace, both then in north Lancashire. The arms are blazoned: Quarterly, 1st & 4th: Argent, three fusils conjoined in fess gules, a bordure sable (Montagu); 2nd & 3rd: Or an eagle displayed vert beaked and membered gules (Monthermer); on an escutcheon of pretence, Sable a lion rampant Argent a canton Argent charged with a cross Gules (Churchill); John, 2nd Duke of Montagu married Mary, daughter and co-heiress of John, 1st Duke of Marlborough.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: HONI.SOIT.QUI.MAL.Y.PENSE

    Arms: Montagu quartering Monthermer with Churchill in an escutcheon of pretence - John Montagu, 2nd Duke of Montagu, KG

    Manufactured: in the mid 18th century probably at Newland Furnace in the Furness area of England.

    Current location: Boughton House, Geddington, Northamptonshire, England.

    Citation: Hodgkinson, J. S., Spring 2022, 'The Boughton House Firebacks', Base Thoughts, Newsletter of the Antique Metalware Society, pp. 10-11.

  10. 1218

    geddington,_boughton_house_05.jpg
    660 x 1060 mm

    Description: Rectangular shape; no edging; shield of the 2nd Duke of Montagu surrounded by the Garter and surmounted by a ducal coronet.

    Notes: One of five firebacks at Boughton House, Northamptonshire, cast with the ducal arms and the Garter having a diameter of 59cm. Fifty firebacks were cast for the house between 1743 and 1748 by Richard Ford, probably at Nibthwaite Furnace, but also possibly at Newland furnace, both then in north Lancashire. The arms are blazoned: Quarterly, 1st & 4th: Argent, three fusils conjoined in fess gules, a bordure sable (Montagu); 2nd & 3rd: Or an eagle displayed vert beaked and membered gules (Monthermer); on an escutcheon of pretence, Sable a lion rampant Argent a canton Argent charged with a cross Gules (Churchill); John, 2nd Duke of Montagu married Mary, daughter and co-heiress of John, 1st Duke of Marlborough.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: HONI.SOIT.QUI.MAL.Y.PENSE

    Arms: Montagu quartering Monthermer with Churchill in an escutcheon of pretence - John Montagu, 2nd Duke of Montagu, KG

    Manufactured: in the mid 18th century probably at Newland Furnace in the Furness area of England.

    Current location: Boughton House, Geddington, Northamptonshire, England.

    Citation: Hodgkinson, J. S., Spring 2022, 'The Boughton House Firebacks', Base Thoughts, Newsletter of the Antique Metalware Society, pp. 10-11.