Firebacks

Description: Arched rectangular shape; astragal edging with parallel astragal enclosing a border of undulating convolvulus vine, leaves and flowers; bead and disc circle in arch, above a pair of lions rampant facing each other, between which are a five-pointed star above a rose.

Notes: A fireback in a retro-Regency style. Sotheby's auction, 27 Oct 2010, lot 209 (£2,500)

Copies of this fireback are known.

Description: Rectangular shape; no edging; top left, inverted 'renaissance' shield with the initials M above IE; top right, date 1671 in unseriffed numerals.

Notes: The shield with initials has not been noted on another fireback. The slots in the fireback are to accommodate andirons or firedogs.

Inscription: IME [triad] 1671

Description: Rectangular with pediment; ovolo moulded edging inside top of pediment and inside top and sides of rectangle; in pediment, four-petal flower; centre top of rectangle, four-petal rose; at each side, talbot crest within wreath and eight-pointed star.

Notes: The wreath and talbot crest are identical to those on a 1584 fireback in the Victoria & Albert Museum; one of the ‘Royal’ series. The dimensions of this fireback are larger than those of the three other firebacks of a similar style in this series, and the flower stamps have not been seen on other backs in the 'Royal' series.

Description: Triangular arched shape; double fillet edging with scrolls above the top corners; in front of mantling, a shield bearing two lions passant guardant with an indistinct canton; above it a helm and crest of a probable ostrich; initials, the D reversed, to left and right of upper mantling.

Notes: The arms have not been identified

Inscription: D T

Arms: Not known

Description: Canted rectangle; cavetto-moulded edging (top and sides); single horizontal fillet below canted corners and vertical fillet parallel to each side, dividing the fireback into two side panels, two top corner panels, top panel and main central panel; corner panels, ‘daisy’ plant stamp; top panel, date between ‘daisy’ stamps, between initials in triad at each end; side panels, swirling foliage stamp repeated each side above a fleur-de-lys; centre panel, stamp of ‘Indian’ smoking a pipe at top left, stamp of seated ‘gentleman’ smoking a pipe and holding another, at top right; below each, a lion passant stamp, facing right on the left and facing left on the right; initials IB in bottom corners of centre panel.

Notes: The 'daisy' stamp is identical to those on similar firebacks dated between 1703 and 1721, and probably indicating the same founder whose initials IB are at the bottom; the use of stamps relating to tobacco smoking may suggest an origin near Bristol, the main entry port for the tobacco trade at that time. Previously noted at Little Faringdon House, near Lechlade. Bishop & Miller auction, Stowmarket, Suffolk, 25 May 2022, lot 293 (ns).

Inscription: TME [triad] 1706 TME [triad] / I B

Description: Rectangular; astragal edging; shield motto and crest of the family of Lawrence.

Notes: Blazon: Ermine, on a cross raguly gules an eastern crown or, on a chief azure two swords in saltire proper pomels and hilts gold between as many leopards' heads argent; crest: out of an eastern crown or, a cubit arm entwined by a wreath of laurel and holding a dagger, all proper. These arms apply to neither the baronetcy nor the two baronies awarded to members of the Lawrence family, the mottoes of which also differ. Copies of this fireback were advertised in Kings Worthy Foundry's (Winchester) catalogue in the mid-20th century.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: IN GOD IS MY TRUST

Arms: Lawrence

Description: Arched rectangular shape; fillet and cavetto moulded edging; pictorial scene of three children, the centre one holding a stick strung with a bunch of grapes over his shoulder, and sitting on a goat.

Notes: A mythological scene of the young Bacchus.

Description: Rectangular; cavetto-moulded edging; [?]fillet frame parallel with edging; on top, central date between two groups of initials in triad, with six 'daisy heads' above; on each side, vertical line of at least four squared cross stamps; inside frame, four fleurs-de-lys between two oval 'buttons' on a rectangular base at least five 'daisy heads' in a vertical line on each side.

Notes: A significant fireback, it comprises decorative stamps from at least three series of firebacks produced in the Forest of Dean area, linking their production to the same ironworks. The same fireback (or copies thereof), with and without the attached grate, was illustrated in catalogues issued c1910-21 by Arthur Todhunter, architectural antiques dealer, of New York (catalogue #919, $50). Leland Little auction, Hillsborough, North Carolina, 3 Mar 2018, lot 260, $400.

Inscription: THM [triad] 1669 THM [triad]

Description: Arched rectangular central panel with additional arch above; bead and fillet edging; pictorial scene of, on the left, a tree next to a female and, in the centre, a male figure, both in eastern dress, a page behind holding a train, and to the right a short obelisk surmounted by a crescent, behind which is the head of a figure with a camel; behind is a small building also surmounted by a crescent, with clouds above; the word, ASIA, is centre bottom; identical shaped border with cavetto-moulded edging; a pomegranate on top with descending swags of drapery; at the sides, overlapping bunches of foliage suspended from ribbon bows; at the bottom, a central cartouche between fruit bunches; on top, a pomegranate with a descending serpent on each side, and a pomegranate on each shoulder of the plate.

Notes: A pastiche of the EUROPA design based on an engraving c.1642 of Friedrich Wilhelm, Elector of Brandenburg, and his wife, Luise Henriette of Oranje-Nassau, by Mathias Czwiczek, with the figures adopting very similar poses in an oriental setting; one of a series depicting allegories of the four continents.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: ASIA / MB

Description: Canted rectangle; double fillet edging (top and sides); top centre, date between two flower heads; initials in triad, repeated on each side, with two fleurs-de-lys between; flower head below each initial group; small stamp of the figure of a stag below the date.

Notes: The initials are likely to be those of a husband (P) and wife (M) whose surname begins N. Illustration from Lenygon, p. 245.

Inscription: 1689 / PNM PNM [both triads]