Firebacks

Manufactured in the Weald area

526 results

  1. 380

    lewes,_sussex arch soc 015.jpg
    950 x >585 mm
    Image subject to copyright

    Description: Plain edged, damaged rectangular plate; a buckle stamp repeated eight times in alternate horizontal and vertical pairs in four columns.

    Notes: The buckle closely resembles that used to decorate glazed bricks on the walls of Laughton Place, Sussex, built by Sir William Pelham in 1534.

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

    Current location: Anne of Cleves House, Southover High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, England.

    Museum number: LH000.912 (part of the Sussex Archaeological Society museum group)

    Citation: Christy, M., 30 May 1908, 'The Old Flat Hearth and its Appliances, III - The Fire-back', The Crown, The Court and County Families' Newspaper, XCIX, Vol. 8, No. 9, pp. 383-6.

    Citation: Hodgkinson, J. S., 2010, British Cast-Iron Firebacks of the 16th to Mid-18th Centuries (Crawley, Hodgers Books).

  2. 381

    lewes,_sussex arch soc 016.jpg
    >550 x 565 mm
    Image subject to copyright

    Description: Fragment; left part of rectangle; twisted rope border (top and sides); long, narrow stamp with undulating vine motif, repeated three times in 'A' shape with top bar; short length of same strip repeated six times, one across middle of 'A', two each side of 'A' at top, one lower right; indistinct stamp with swirled floral design between lower legs of 'A'.

    Notes: The same vine strip stamp is seen, in both long and short lengths, on many firebacks, indicating a common source. All the stamps were probably derived from redundant furniture.

    Manufactured: in the mid- to late-16th century possibly at Pounsley Furnace, Framfield in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Anne of Cleves House, Southover High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, England.

    Museum number: LH000.913 (part of the Sussex Archaeological Society museum group)

    Citation: Hodgkinson, J. S., 2010, British Cast-Iron Firebacks of the 16th to Mid-18th Centuries (Crawley, Hodgers Books).

    Citation: Schubert, H. R., 1957, History of the British Iron and Steel Industry (London, Routledge), pp. 256-264.

  3. 382

    lewes,_sussex arch soc 017.jpg
    1050 x 660 mm
    Image subject to copyright

    Description: Rectangular; broad fillet edging; 'IhS' stamp repeated five times (4-1-4) centrally.

    Notes: The use of the christogram suggests a Catholic, and therefore a possibly pre-Reformation or Marian date.

    Inscription: IhS [repeated 5 times]

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

    Current location: Anne of Cleves House, Southover High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, England.

    Museum number: 1944.24.036 (part of the Sussex Archaeological Society museum group)

  4. 383

    lewes,_sussex arch soc 018.jpg
    970 x 705 mm
    Image subject to copyright

    Description: Arched rectangular shape; thin twisted rope edging on top and sides; trailing vine strips frame a row of repeated bird (probably swan) stamps (5) above repeated rose en soleil stamps (5); single bird stamp with two short, slanting vine strips in top arch.

    Notes: The rose-en-soleil was the badge of King Edward IV and, thus, a Yorkist symbol, while the swan had been adopted by Henry IV and was, therefore, a Lancastrian symbol.

    Manufactured: in the mid- to late-16th century possibly at Pounsley Furnace, Framfield in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Anne of Cleves House, Southover High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, England.

    Museum number: LH000.941 (part of the Sussex Archaeological Society museum group)

    Citation: Butterfield, W. R., 1916, 'Old Wealden Firebacks', The Connoisseur, 46, pp. 197-209.

    Citation: Hodgkinson, J. S., 2010, British Cast-Iron Firebacks of the 16th to Mid-18th Centuries (Crawley, Hodgers Books).

  5. 384

    lewes,_sussex arch soc 019.jpg
    775 x 510 mm
    Image subject to copyright

    Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edge on top and sides; crowned Tudor royal shield between fleurs de lys arranged in a four-pointed star shape on left, in a three-pointed star shape on right, and three singly in a line below.

    Notes: The crowned shield is seen on several firebacks, indicating that they were products of the same furnace.

    Arms: Tudor royal arms of England

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

    Current location: Anne of Cleves House, Southover High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, England.

    Museum number: 1944.24.034 (part of the Sussex Archaeological Society museum group)

    Citation: Christy, M., 30 May 1908, 'The Old Flat Hearth and its Appliances, III - The Fire-back', The Crown, The Court and County Families' Newspaper, XCIX, Vol. 8, No. 9, pp. 383-6.

    Citation: Dawson, C., 1903, 'Sussex Iron Work and Pottery', Sussex Archaeological Collections, 46, pp. 1-54.

    Citation: Hodgkinson, J. S., 2010, British Cast-Iron Firebacks of the 16th to Mid-18th Centuries (Crawley, Hodgers Books).

  6. 385

    lewes,_sussex arch soc 020.jpg
    690 x 525 mm
    Image subject to copyright

    Description: Rectangular with two-stepped top; plain plate; date across lower step; rope saltire in upper step; initials split below outer shoulders.

    Notes: The distinctive hand-formed characters on this and some other stepped firebacks imply a common source. Although the talbot crest, by which other firebacks in the series are identified, is absent on this casting, the shape and the style of the characters places it incontrovertably in the same group. Formerly part of the J. H. Every collection.

    Inscription: 1615 / R T

    Manufactured: in 1615 in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Anne of Cleves House, Southover High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, England.

    Museum number: 1944.24.050 (part of the Sussex Archaeological Society museum group)

    Citation: Anon., 30 Dec 1911, 'Sussex Backs and their Story', The Ironmonger.

    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.

    Citation: Hughes, G. B., Sep 1929, 'Old English Firebacks in the Collection of Mr John H. Every', Old Furniture, 8, pp. 28-32.

  7. 386

    lewes,_sussex arch soc 021.jpg
    920 x 590 mm
    Image subject to copyright

    Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging on top and sides; date placed centrally near top.

    Notes: A similar fireback with slightly different proportions has the same date using the same numerals. Formerly at the Anchor Hotel, Eastbourne, Sussex.

    Inscription: 1679

    Manufactured: in 1679 in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Anne of Cleves House, Southover High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, England.

    Museum number: LH000.910 (part of the Sussex Archaeological Society museum group)

    Citation: Dawson, C., 1903, 'Sussex Iron Work and Pottery', Sussex Archaeological Collections, 46, pp. 1-54.

  8. 387

    lewes,_sussex arch soc 022.jpg
    740 x 580 mm
    Image subject to copyright

    Description: Arched rectangular shape; astragal edging. Shield, helm, crest and mantling of the Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths.

    Notes: Blazon: Sable, a chevron Or between three hammers Argent handled and crowned with open crowns of the second; Crest: a phoenix in flames rising proper; arms granted in 1611. Formerly part of the J. H. Every collection.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Arms: Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths

    Manufactured: in the mid-17th century in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Anne of Cleves House, Southover High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, England.

    Museum number: 1944.24.052 (part of the Sussex Archaeological Society museum group)

    Citation: Hodgkinson, J. S., 2010, British Cast-Iron Firebacks of the 16th to Mid-18th Centuries (Crawley, Hodgers Books).

  9. 388

    lewes,_sussex arch soc 023.jpg
    1045 x 605 mm
    Image subject to copyright

    Description: Rectangular, with canted top corners; twisted rope edging (top and sides only); ten shields of Ayloffe impaling Sulyard in three rows, 3-4-3; Ayloffe: sable, a lion rampant Or, collared gules, between three crosses formy of the second; Sulyard: argent, a chevron gules between three pheons inverted sable.

    Notes: William Ayloffe (c1535-1584) of Hornchurch, Essex, Justice of the Court of Queen’s Bench, married (c1560) Jane, dau. of Sir Eustace Sulyard, of Runwell, Essex. Formerly part of the J. H. Every collection.

    Arms: Ayloffe impaling Sulyard (William Ayloffe of Bretons, Hornchurch)

    Manufactured: in the early-17th century possibly in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Anne of Cleves House, Southover High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, England.

    Museum number: 1944.24.047 (part of the Sussex Archaeological Society museum group)

    Citation: Cowper, H. S., 1911, 'A Series of Kentish Heraldic Firebacks and the Identification of the Arms', Archaeologia Cantiana, 29, pp. 40-6.

  10. 389

    lewes,_sussex arch soc 024.jpg
    750 x 590 mm
    Image subject to copyright

    Description: Arched rectangular shape; plain edge with inset astragal on all sides; stylised buckle surmounted by an earl’s coronet between the two halves of the date.

    Notes: The buckle is the badge of the Pelham family and the earl’s coronet may refer to the Earldom of Clare to which Thomas Pelham-Holles, 2nd Baron Pelham of Laughton was raised in 1714. The following year he was created Marquess of Clare and Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Formerly part of the J. H. Every collection.

    Inscription: 17 15

    Manufactured: in 1715 in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Anne of Cleves House, Southover High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, England.

    Museum number: 1944.24.084 (part of the Sussex Archaeological Society museum group)

    Citation: Hodgkinson, J. S., 2010, British Cast-Iron Firebacks of the 16th to Mid-18th Centuries (Crawley, Hodgers Books).