Firebacks

Description: Rectangular; ovolo moulded edging (top and sides); eight impressions of a fleur de lys, arranged in three horizontal rows (3-2-3), carefully spaced.

Notes: The same fleur de lys stamp has been noted on several firebacks, indicating a common source.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Description: Arched rectangular shaped; paternost bead edging (top and sides); Stuart royal arms: shield, garter, helm, crown, crest, supporters and motto; date split between top corners; initials split beneath supporters.

Notes: Firebacks with royal arms attributable to the reign of James II are, inevitably, uncommon owing to the brevity of his reign. Paternost beads are more usually found as edging on ‘Dutch’ types of fireback. A polychrome casting of this fireback is displayed as the royal arms in St James's church in North Cray, Kent. Copies of this fireback were advertised in Bratt Colbran Ltd.'s (London) catalogue in the early-20th century.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: 1687 /HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE / I R / DIEU ET MON DROIT

Arms: English Stuart royal (James II)

Description: Arched rectangular centrel panel with bead on fillet edging; central seated female with an infant in her arms, a swan at her feet and a standing child on each side, the one to her left facing the front and holding aloft a flaming heart, its foot on a ball; the child to her right facing the back, holding aloft a branch in its left hand, all on a ground with a tree behind to the right; arched rectangular border with fillet edging; at the top of the arch a cartouche from which are suspended two ribbons, each held by a putto, from which cascade flowers and fruit, each lower part hung from a ring; two putti are on each side, one climbing on the suspended ribbon, the other at its foot; at the bottom, a cartouche containing the monogram between two clusters of flowers each suspended on a ribbon tied to a scroll; on top, two descending cornucopiae.

Notes: The scene portrays Charity; the same central panel can be seen with different borders, and also exists in other versions.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: HIS

Description: Central panel, cavetto-canted rectangle with arch; bud and annulet edging (in alternate threes); pictorial panel portraying Europa being carried to sea by Zeus, disguised as a bull; two female attendants wave from the right shore; two putti attend, one below with a bow and arrow; trees to right and left; clouds and sun above. Same shaped, fillet-edged border with floral scrolls top and sides; at the bottom, a cartouche bearing EB monogram between oak leaf and acorn fronds; on top, central scallop shell between floral scrolls with dolphin’s heads.

Notes: The central design is closely based on an illustration by Bernard Salomon, first published in a 1557 edition of Ovid’s Metamorphoses and copied in subsequent editions by Virgil Solis (1514-62). The initials, EB, are likely to be those of the pattern maker. The similarity between the execution of this picture and those on firebacks bearing the SHR monogram suggests the possibility of a common source. Ten rivets are the result of later repair.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: EB

Description: Arched rectangular central panel with bead edging; pictorial scene of Venus, naked and kneeling, and Adonis, standing, holding a spear in his left hand, with Cupid to the left, and a hound and a quiver of arrows below to the right; arched rectangular border with fillet edging; descending swags of fruit and seashells enclosing the central panel; inscription in an oval cartouche at the bottom; on top, a Holy Roman Imperial crown between two mirrored dolphins, heads downward.

Notes: The scene is based on the painting (c.1635) of Venus and Adonis by Peter Paul Rubens; the initials, L8G, denote the style of border - other firebacks having the same inscription have the same border - and other borders are denoted by similar inscriptions (e.g. L6C and L7C). Von den Driesch (p.520) illustrates the same central image within an L7C border.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: L8G

Description: Rectangular; undulating vine tendril edging (top and upper sides); eight circular, fleur-de-lys butter mould stamps alternating (except at left end) with six rectangular, fleur-de-lys and leaf shortbread or gingerbread stamps, in a line along the top; six bird stamps (wings displayed and inverted) alternating with five pairs of butter mould stamps, as above; continuous line of horizontal vine strips; six descending vine strips, interspaced unevenly with eight butter mould stamps, in pairs except for rightmost two.

Notes: The bird (probably a swan, a Lancastrian badge) and vine strip stamps are encountered on several firebacks. In 1868 this fireback was recorded at Tickeridge, West Hoathly, Sussex.

Description: Arched rectangular shaped central panel with bead edging; naked figure of Mercury/Hermes with winged helmet (petasos), holding a snake-entwined staff (caduceus); he is sitting astride a pair of bellows and blowing a straight trumpet; a twice-bent trumpet lies at his feet; the bellows are pumping air into an organ; to the right of his head is the word, AER (air - Latin); above is a swag of drapery; arched rectangular shaped border with ovolo edging; floral wreath at top with suspended swags of fruit and leaves, including, grapes, pomegranates and apples; inscription, ‘ANNO 1661’, on a scroll at the bottom; scallop shell and sea serpents on top.

Notes: One of a series of firebacks symbolising the four elements.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: AER / ANNO 1667

Description: Arched rectangular shaped central panel with bead edging; naked figure of Mercury/Hermes with winged helmet (petasos), holding a snake-entwined staff (caduceus); he is sitting astride a pair of bellows and blowing a straight trumpet; a twice-bent trumpet lies at his feet; the bellows are pumping air into an organ; to the right of his head is the word, AER (air - Latin); above is a swag of drapery; outside the panel is a narrow border of the same shape with fillet edging; the fireback is surmounted by a scallop shell between two outward-facing sea serpents.

Notes: One of a series of firebacks symbolising the four elements.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: AER

Description: Quasi-rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and sides); three gothic panels arranged horizontally, the centre one wider than the other two, each panel a symmetrical arrangement of tracery patterns with an inverted ogee arch on top incorporating two flowers; below are six, irregularly spaced fleurs-de-lys.

Notes: The panels were probably derived from a dismantled wooden chest or hutch table, c.1500. Their gothic style belies the probable age of the fireback, such chests already being old when their parts might have been re-used. The same panels are on a fireback at East Grinstead Museum.

Description: Quasi-rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and sides); fleur-de-lys stamp repeated 25 times in four rows (6-6-6-7), interspersed with a length of twisted rope repeatedly stamped between each row and sometimes between fleurs; three rope crosses near top corners.

Notes: The fleurs are identical to others from the ‘Pounsley’ series.