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651
Description: Rectangular; cavetto edging; a left-facing cockerel grasps a snake in its beak, another snake writhes on the ground behind it; date to left of the cockerel’s tail; four vertical planklines.
Notes: The design may have religious significance, the snake symbolising sin and the cockerel denoting St Peter’s denial of Christ. The ‘1’ of the date is hooked, suggesting a common source with firebacks designed by the pattern-maker, IM. A copy of this fireback is set into the brickwork of 16 Old Church Street, Chelsea, London.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: 1652
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- cavetto (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- planklines
- pictorial
- biblical
- text
- animals
Manufactured: in 1652 possibly at Brede Furnace in the Weald area of England.
Current location:, not known.
- Attached to series:
- Small cavetto series
- Hooked '1' series
- New Testament firebacks
- Brede group
-
1001
Description: Arched rectangular panel with a Salomonic column on each side enclosing a scene of Abraham about to sacrifice Isaac but being restrained by an angel; below, bottom panel of indeterminate decoration (due to corrosion); above each column a burning torch, with symmetrical floriate scrolls over the arch.
Notes: Given the biblical subject, this is probably of German manufacture although the Salomonic columns are more often encountered on English pastiches of the 'Dutch' style.
- Decoration tags:
- 'Dutch' (shape)
- fillet (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- pictorial
- biblical
- architectural
- humans
- objects
Manufactured: in the late-17th to early-18th century possibly in the Siegerland area of Germany.
Current location: Ashmolean Museum Broadway, 65 High Street, Broadway, Worcestershire, England.
(part of the Ashmolean Museum museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Old Testament & Apocrypha firebacks
- 'Dutch' Miscellaneous Firebacks
-
21
Description: Rectangular central panel with bead edging all round, pictorial representation of the Annunciation by the Angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary, the angel carries a lily, Mary kneels at a desk, between them is a basket, above them a dove descends from clouds amid sunbeams, to the left is an arch, in the centre a bed, and to the right a window and a canopy; above the panel is a bead-edged arch with a central scallop shell and a floral swag suspended from scrolls; arched rectangular shaped border with fillet edging, a cascade of leaves and fruit (inc. apples, grapes, pears and pomegranates) descending from a wreath, at the base two cartouches conjoined by a scallop shell and containing the inscription; on top a scallop shell between two dolphins.
Notes: Whole pattern. A common fireback design originating in the Siegerland of north Germany and made for the Dutch market. A good clear casting. The illustration is probably drawn from V. Solis, 'Biblische Figuren'.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: ANNO 1667
Manufactured: in 1667 in the Siegerland area of Germany.
Current location: Bateman's, Burwash, East Sussex, England.
Museum number: 761056 (part of the National Trust museum group)
Citation: Herskamp, W, 2007, Die Eiserne Bibel (Helios, Aachen).
- Attached to series:
- 'Dutch' Miscellaneous Firebacks
- New Testament firebacks
-
874
Description: Arched rectangular central panel with ovolo linking curves and eyelet astragal edging; pictorial scene of Delilah, seated above a pavement, supervising the cutting of Samson's hair by a barber, a putto to the left and a small figure lower right; drapery above; arched rectangular border with ovolo linking curves and fillet edging; symmetrical pattern of plant tendrils with leaves and seed pods; at bottom, monogram 'EB' in a cartouche between symmetrical leaves and ears of wheat; on top, two mirrored sea serpents.
Notes: One of a small series of firebacks identified by the EB monogram; the pictorial scene is of Delilah and the sleeping Samson with a Philistine cutting his hair; the scene may be based on an engraving by the Dutch artist Philip Galle (1537-1612) after a painting by Maerten van Heemskerck.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: EB
Manufactured: in the late-17th to early-18th century in England.
Current location: Chastleton House, Chastleton, Oxfordshire, England.
Museum number: 1430205 (part of the National Trust museum group)
- Attached to series:
- EB series
- Old Testament & Apocrypha firebacks
- British 'Dutch' style firebacks
-
565
Description: Rectangular; flanged edging; small guilloche pattern down each side and along the bottom; upper panel, pictorial scene of the Marriage at Cana; lower panel, inscription panel within a strapwork cartouche with flowers below.
Notes: An end stove plate with a popular scene from the New Testament - John 2.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: 16 H 38
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- flanged (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- pictorial
- biblical
- text
- humans
Manufactured: in 1638 possibly in the Siegerland area of Germany.
Current location: Folkestone Library and Heritage Centre, Grace Street, Folkestone, Kent, England.
(part of the Folkestone Library and Heritage Centre museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Stoveplates
- Marriage at Cana stoveplates
-
77
Description: 'Dutch' style; arched rectangular shaped central panel, bead edging, two children sitting astride a beast (possibly a winged ram); arched rectangular shaped border, fillet edging, swags of fruit bunches suspended from ribbon; on top, symmetrical floral swirls and flowers.
Notes: The image is probably intended to be Phrixus and Helle riding the winged ram with the golden fleece, but in recasting it has been misinterpreted as the young Samson slaying the lion at Timnath; Judges 14: 5-6.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: 16 NDW 97 / DER JUNGE SAMSON [the young Samson]
- Decoration tags:
- 'Dutch' (shape)
- fillet (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- biblical
- monogram
- text
- humans
Manufactured: in the late-17th to early-18th century possibly in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Guildford Museum, Guildford, Surrey, England.
Museum number: G.486 (part of the Guildford Museum museum group)
- Attached to series:
- 'Dutch' NDW series
-
1239
Description: Arched rectangular central panel with bead-on-fillet edging; pictorial scene of Jesus sitting at the well with the woman of Samaria standing opposite, a rural scene behind, trees on each side and clouds with sunrays above; arched rectangular border with fillet edging; central cartouche at top, with festoons of fruit, flowers and leaves suspended on each side from ribbons supported by rings; at the bottom, swirled ribbon around an oval compartment bearing the inscription 'L6C'; on top, a central cartouche from which descend a cornucopia on each side of the arch.
Notes: The scene, seen on many German firebacks and stoveplates, is from St John's gospel, chapter 4; the inscription at the bottom indicates the style of border; other firebacks with the same inscription have the same border; similar inscriptions (e.g. L7C and L8G) indicate different borders.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: L6C
Manufactured: in the mid- to late-17th century possibly in the Siegerland area of Germany.
Current location: in private hands Vreden, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany.
Citation: Elling, W. & Winkler-Borck, S., 1992, Ofen- und Kaminplatten (Vreden, Hamaland-Museum).
- Attached to series:
- 'Dutch' LC/G series
-
139
Description: Arched rectangular shaped central panel with bead-and-pellet edging; figure of Abraham, a scimitar in his raised right hand, which is being restrained by an angel emerging from a cloud; Isaac is kneeling to Abraham's left and a ram is caught in a bush to the left of the plate; the initials are in the top corners; arched rectangular shaped border with fillet edging, and swags of leaves suspended from flowers; on top, symmetrical foliate swirls.
Notes: The design is an adaptation of an engraving by Adriaen Collaert (1555-1623) of a painting by Maarten de Vos (1532-1603), Plate 5 of The Story of Abraham. In the 'Thesaurus sacrarum historiarum veteris testamenti', published in Antwerp by Gerard de Jode (1509-1591) in 1579, 1585 and, subsequently, by Visscher in 1589. One of a small group of firebacks, all of similar shape, some with biblical designs, others mythological, all dated around 1700 and bearing the letters GK. Formerly part of the Ade Collection (from Grove Hill, Hellingly, Sussex).
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: G K / 1700
- Decoration tags:
- 'Dutch' (shape)
- fillet (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- individual letters
- biblical
- text
- humans
Manufactured: in 1700 in the Siegerland area of Germany.
Current location: Hastings Museum and Art Gallery, John's Place, Bohemia Road, Hastings, East Sussex, England.
Museum number: HASMG: 1952.51.37 (part of the Hastings Museum museum group)
Citation: Lloyd, N., 1925, 'Domestic Ironwork I', Architectural Review, 58, pp. 58-67.
- Attached to series:
- 'Dutch' GK series
- Old Testament & Apocrypha firebacks
- Abraham & Isaac firebacks
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162
Description: Arched rectangular shaped; cavetto-moulded edge; figure of St Paul, a sword in his left hand, holding a viper in his right hand over flames rising from the ground.
Notes: The scene illustrates an episode in the New Testament, Acts 28: 3. The design shows stylistic similarities to other firebacks where simple, well-executed relief has overlapped the cavetto edging. Formerly part of the Ade Collection (from Grove Hill, Hellingly, Sussex).
Copies of this fireback are known.
- Decoration tags:
- arched rectangular (shape)
- cavetto (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- pictorial
- biblical
- humans
Manufactured: in the mid- to late-17th century possibly in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Hastings Museum and Art Gallery, John's Place, Bohemia Road, Hastings, East Sussex, England.
Museum number: HASMG: 1952.51.25 (part of the Hastings Museum museum group)
Citation: Butterfield, W. R., 1916, 'Old Wealden Firebacks', The Connoisseur, 46, pp. 197-209.
- Attached to series:
- Small cavetto series
- New Testament firebacks
-
159
Description: Rectangular with ‘pediment’ arch linked by cavetto curves; fillet and cavetto edging; pictorial, a cylindrical furnace with inscribed stone courses, flames issuing from the top, with the heads of three people, a hand raised from two of them, and an angel with wings and arms outstretched; the furnace has a small arched opening bottom centre; above the angel, the inscription was inscribed on the pattern.
Notes: The scene represents Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego being delivered from the burning fiery furnace by the angel of God (Daniel 3), the phrase, The Three Children, being a reference to the eponymous apocryphal verses from the Book of Daniel. Formerly at Brightling Hall, Robertsbridge, Sussex.
Inscription: THE THREE CHILDREN
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with pediment (shape)
- cavetto (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- pictorial
- biblical
- architectural
- text
- humans
- objects
Manufactured: in the early- to mid-17th century possibly in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Hastings Museum and Art Gallery, John's Place, Bohemia Road, Hastings, East Sussex, England.
Museum number: HASMG: 1913.58 (part of the Hastings Museum museum group)
Citation: Baines, J. M., 1958, Wealden Firebacks (Hastings Museum).
Citation: Butterfield, W. R., 1916, 'Old Wealden Firebacks', The Connoisseur, 46, pp. 197-209.
Citation: Butterfield, W. R., 23 Feb 1935, 'A Scriptural Fireback', Hastings and St Leonards Observer.
- Attached to series:
- Old Testament & Apocrypha firebacks