Firebacks

Description: Arched shape; cavetto moulded edge; double-headed eagle displayed, a crown above; in front, a quartered shield.

Notes: The shield bears the arms of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (reigned 1519-1556), king of Spain and nephew of Katherine of Aragon, Queen of England.

Arms: Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor

Description: Arched rectangular shaped; fillet edging (top and sides); central stamp of a carved bracket figure of a bearded man in a loincloth and cap; date and monogram in arch, split by figure, ‘T’ elevated; rhyme in capitals across centre, letters carved on strips, split by figure; date and initials as individual stamps.

Notes: The twin miseries of a smoky house and a scolding wife are mentioned several times in literature. The dress of the figure suggests work as a miner, possibly linking this back with the Forest of Dean. Variants exist without date or initials, or with other dates.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: 1658 LTB / ·FROM ·A·-·SMOKY ·LIFE·/ AND·A SCOVL DING·WIFE·/ALL MEN THAT-DOE·ME·SE/ TAKE·PETIE- AND·DELIVER ME

Description: Rectangular with pediment; ovolo moulded edging inside top of pediment and inside top and sides of rectangle; centre top, four-petal rose and crown with fleur de lys below; at either end, stamps made from two parts of a wreath (the middle section missing) enclosing a fleur de lys.

Notes: The wreaths from which the stamps have been disassembled can be seen complete on two other firebacks, and the rose and crown is a common stamp on a large series of early firebacks.

Inscription: ?I T

Description: Rectangular with rebated top corners; ovolo moulded edging (top and sides); topcentre, date above initials.

Notes: The rebated corners are an unusual feature.

Inscription: 1653 / T · L ·C

Description: Rectangular with a central rectangular extension; twisted rope edging; fleur-de-lys stamp with twisted band repeated three times at top; ?rose stamp repeated five times in line below fleurs, some over pressed, central rose above others; cabled anchor stamp repeated twice, either side of central rose; initials below central rose; ?cow and dog stamps each repeated twice alternately in line below initials; eight rivets from later repair.

Notes: None of the stamps is known from any other fireback; cabled anchor may suggest a connection with a seaport.

Inscription: HI

Description: Arched rectangular shaped central panel with ’nutshell,’ paternost edging on a broad fillet; figure of Neptune/Poseidon holding a trident in his right hand, standing on a pedestal in the centre of a circular fountain, with two hippocampi, water issuing from their mouths; in front, a mermaid swims in waves, her arms raised; behind, blasts of wind issue from clouds; arched rectangular border with fillet edging; symmetrical design of seashells suspended from chains of pearls; bottom centre, the monogram between swirled plant tendrils; on top, symmetrical floral swirls.

Notes: Although very similar in size and design to a fireback in the 1724 series, this is not based on a design by Daniel Marot; instead it may have been inspired by the design for a fountain by Jean Lepautre (1618-82) published in a set of 12 etchings by Jean Le Blond in 1650. Almost certainly the 'iron chimney back' purchased by Henry Campion, of Danny, from John Legas for two guineas in 1731; another example, presumably from the same source, is at The Vine, near Basingstoke, Hampshire.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: SHR

Description: Arched rectangular shape; fillet edging; broad, fillet-edged central panel with pictorial landscape and battle scene; on top, above a cone of laurel leaves, a crown supported by two putti, each holding a plant stem; on each side, a flower and fruit festoon suspended on a ribbon from a ring; at the bottom , inscription on a scroll.

Notes: The pictorial scene is alleged to be the Siege of Namur of 1695 in which British and Dutch forces, under the leadership of William III, defeated the French forces of Louis XIV, however details of the scene more closely resemble those seen in images of the Siege of Vienna in 1683, an iconic victory of the Christian powers over the Ottoman Turks.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: NON[...]ROSEDARMIS / N ANNO 1695 L

Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and sides); central Tudor shield, garter, crown and supporters (greyhound and lion), formed from separate stamps; date on a single stamp in top left corner.

Notes: The worn appearance of the central arms, compared with the clarity of the date, suggests that this is an early example of a fireback being used as a pattern, with the addition of a subsequent date. The same stamps forming the arms can also be seen on other firebacks. The extension of the lower part of the ‘3’ on the date stamp suggests that the numbers may have been fixed to the backing block, rather than the date being carved as a whole. Another variant of this fireback (no. 1041) has the rope edging extending only three-quarters of the way down the sides.

Inscription: 1583

Arms: Tudor royal (prob. Elizabeth I)

Description: Arched rectangular shape; no edging; initials evenly spaced around arch; date split between top corners.

Inscription: W S / 18 24

Description: Arched rectangular central panel, with bead-and-pellet edging; pictorial, standing female figure in classical dress, facing to the left, holding a snake in her right hand, a bunch of flowers at lower left; the initials located in bottom corners; arched rectangular border, fillet edging, containing swirled foliage, with a putto in the top corners; on top, two perched bird facing each other, with swirled foliage descending behind them.

Notes: The figure is of Sapientia, or Wisdom, based closely on an engraving, one of a set entitled 'The Virtues' by Hendrik Goltzius c.1593; a small number of firebacks bear the initials, GK; it is not known to whom they refer, but dated ones are of 1700.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: G K