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486
Description: Rectangular with 5-facetted arch; twisted rope edging; centre top, rectangular stamp, over-pressed, with crown above initials in bottom corners; diamond shaped stamp with fleur-de-lys repeated each side of crown, both over-pressed; spillage blemish below left fleur.
Notes: Notable for the large size of the fleur-de-lys stamp; this casting differs from another (no. 1164) in the placement of the stamps.
Inscription: E R
- Decoration tags:
- multi-facetted arch (shape)
- rope (edging)
- carved stamps
- heraldic
- royal
Manufactured: in the mid to late 16th century in the Weald area of England.
Current location: in private hands, Mayfield, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Large diamond fleur series
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817
Description: Arched rectangular shape; fillet edging; shield, helm, crest and mantling of the Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths (see Fig. 3); date in top corners; initials at bottom, below mantling; two planklines.
Notes: One of the hooked ‘1’ series; a copy from an evenly impressed original.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: 16 50 / I M
Arms: Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths
- Decoration tags:
- arched rectangular (shape)
- fillet (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- planklines
- armorial
- text
Manufactured: in 1650 possibly at Brede Furnace in the Weald area of England.
Current location: in private hands, Mayfield, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Hooked '1' series
- Livery company firebacks
- Brede group
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822
Description: Repeated rectangular panels each bearing an anchor with coiled rope between two fleurs de lys, below which are two roses and a grape bunch beneath; the two rectangular side panels each comprise a vertical stem with six grape bunches surmounted by a smaller bunch; above, a semicircular arch contains the initials between two roses as in the central panel, with the date above; where the arch meets the central panel there is an arc across each corner; the top and sides panels are edged with simulated twisted rope.
Notes: One of an unusual series formed from separate panels arranged, in this instance, with each vertical panel repeated.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: 1588 / IFC
- Decoration tags:
- arched rectangular (shape)
- simulated rope (edging)
- carved pattern panels
- heraldic
- text
- plants
- objects
Manufactured: in 1588 in the Weald area of England.
Current location: in private hands, Mayfield, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Armada series
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823
Description: Arched shape with ovolo egg-and-dart edging; crown surmounting a shield, a quartered shield with an escutcheon impaling a crowned lion rampant with an escutcheon; text along the bottom.
Notes: The arms have not been identified; LOVEN is the town of Leuven, capital of the province of Brabant, which, in 1662, was in the Spanish Netherlands.
Inscription: LOVEN 1662
- Decoration tags:
- arched (shape)
- ovolo, egg and dart (edging)
- carved pattern panels
- armorial
- text
- plants
Manufactured: in 1662 possibly in the Ardennes area of Belgium.
Current location: in private hands, Mayfield, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Foreign armorial firebacks
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1275
Description: Arched rectangular central panel with bead-on-fillet edging; central vase containg a variety of flowers and foliage; arched rectangular border with fillet edging containing two arrangements of fruit and leaves descending on each side from ribbons, and with ribbons at the shoulders; at the bottom, the monogram 'NDW' between the two halves of the date; above the arch, descending scrolled foliage.
Notes: This fireback differs in its form from others with the NDW monogram and is closer to an English form seen in the TAN series, albeit considerably smaller.
Inscription: 17 NDW 04
- Decoration tags:
- 'Dutch' (shape)
- fillet (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- individual numbers
- pictorial
- monogram
- text
- plants
- objects
Manufactured: in 1704 possibly in the Siegerland area of Germany.
Current location:, not known.
- Attached to series:
- 'Dutch' NDW series
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488
Description: Rectangular with complex quasi-arched rectangular top; fillet edging; shield with Royal arms of France in a cartouche; above, an English crown.
Notes: The combination of the English crown and French arms is common and may relate to the marriage of Charles I and Princess Henrietta Maria of France in 1625. A different version is no. 659. Said to have been cast by Thomas Prickett (1727-95) at Gloucester Furnace, Lamberhurst. Formerly part of the J. H. Every collection.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Arms: France modern
- Decoration tags:
- complex quasi-arched (shape)
- fillet (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- armorial
- royal
Manufactured: in the early to mid 17th century probably at Gloucester Furnace, Lamberhurst in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Michelham Priory, Arlington, East Sussex, England.
Museum number: 1944.24.068 (part of the Sussex Archaeological Society museum group)
Citation: Dawson, C., 1903, 'Sussex Iron Work and Pottery', Sussex Archaeological Collections, 46, pp. 1-54.
- Attached to series:
- Ornate border series
- Miscellaneous royal firebacks
- Anglo-French armorial firebacks
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489
Description: Arched rectangular central panel with additional arch above; bead and fillet edging; pictorial scene of Solomon, rising from a scallop-backed, canopied throne, greeting the Queen of Sheba, with other figures in attendance; identical shaped border with cavetto-moulded edging; a vase 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: Several contemporary paintings are of similar scenes; this design may have been derived from any of them. Close observation shows that the scene depicted, and some other decorative elements, are different to those on a similar fireback, no. 1289.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Manufactured: in the mid to late 17th century in the Siegerland area of Germany.
Current location: Michelham Priory, Arlington, East Sussex, England.
(part of the Sussex Archaeological Society museum group)
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490
Description: Rectangular; multiple moulding on top and sides; inscription below moulding at top; three pointed crosses, one between inscription and date, one each side of date.
Notes: Purchased by J. H. Every in a sale at Groombridge Place, Kent in 1919. John Rivers was the husband of Isabella Packer, whose father Sir Thomas Packer, owned Groombridge Place. Bequeathed to the Sussex Archaeological Society in 1944.
Inscription: IOHN·RIVERS / 1643
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- complex, furniture-derived (edging)
- carved stamps
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- text
Manufactured: in 1643 in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Michelham Priory, Arlington, East Sussex, England.
Museum number: 1944.24.431 (part of the Sussex Archaeological Society museum group)
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:
- Date & initials firebacks
- Personal firebacks
- Miscellaneous stamp firebacks
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491
Description: Armorial; one plank line; shield, supporters, helm, crest and garter of the Sackville family: quarterly or and gules, a bend vair.
Notes: The arms of Thomas Sackville (1527-1608), created 1st Baron Buckhurst in 1567 and invested Knight of the Garter in 1589. He was MP for East Grinstead. He was created 1st Earl of Dorset in 1604; the back therefore dates between 1589 and 1604.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: HONI ... MAL Y PEN ...
Arms: Sackville, Baron Buckhurst
- Decoration tags:
- complex quasi-arched (shape)
- ovolo (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- planklines
- armorial
- text
Manufactured: in the late 16th to early 17th century in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Michelham Priory, Arlington, East Sussex, England.
(part of the Sussex Archaeological Society museum group)
Citation: Butterfield, W. R., 1916, 'Old Wealden Firebacks', The Connoisseur, 46, pp. 197-209.
- Attached to series:
- Ornate border series
- Personal armorial firebacks
- Sackville firebacks
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492
Description: Arched rectangular central panel; fillet and ovolo edging; a ring suspended with drapery, supporting a bird, its wings displayed and inverted, looking to the right, with a small roundel below it in each corner; arched rectangular border with fillet edging, and symmetrical drapery in the arch; and indistinct figure on each side, and indistinct foliage below; on top, a scllop shell between two descending serpents.
Notes: A bird, usually a parrot, perching on a suspended ring can be seen on other firebacks produced in the Siegerland for the Dutch market in the latter part of the 17th century.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Manufactured: in the late 17th century in the Siegerland area of Germany.
Current location: Michelham Priory, Arlington, East Sussex, England.
(part of the Sussex Archaeological Society museum group)
- Attached to series:
- 'Dutch' Miscellaneous Firebacks
- 'Dutch' Bird on perch firebacks