Firebacks

with the same citation

  1. 802

    witley,_rake manor.jpg
    1048 x 940 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shaped; astragal edging (top and sides); mainly symmetrical vine arrangement, emerging from a vase, some fronds ending in an eagle’s head, other in leaves; at top of arch, initials ‘HB’ split by date (reversed) with an additional ‘I’; below, initials ‘AIS’ (reversed).

    Notes: Two planklines; ‘HB’ refers to Henry Bell, who acquired Rake Manor, Witley, in 1592. ‘AIS’ refers to Anthony Smith, his nephew and heir, and his wife, Joan (née Hore); the form of the date is confused by the addition of an ‘I’, and the somewhat clumsy arrangement of the inscription suggests that it was added to the otherwise foliate pattern priot to casting. The letter 'H' seems to belong to a different character set

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: H I0361B / AIS

    Manufactured: in 1630 possibly at Witley Park Furnace in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Rake Manor, Witley, Surrey, England.

    Citation: Giuseppi, M. S., 1903, 'Rake in Witley [etc.]', Surrey Archaeological Collections, 18, pp. 11-60.

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