Firebacks

Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and sides); top row, two square-within-a-square arrangements of twisted rope between three stamps formed of Gothic tracery cresting; 2nd row, two more tracery cresting stamps (the one on the right over stamping a fleur-de-lys) between two crowned, star-embossed butter mould stamps with a crowned rose-en-soleil stamp in the middle; 3rd row, three star-embossed butter mould stamps with two pairs of fleurs-de-lys between them; bottom row, seven fleurs-de-lys; plus interspersed short rope lengths, and a vertical, double zig-zag arrangement of rope lengths on each side.

Notes: The rose-en-soleil was the badge of King Edward IV and, thus, a Yorkist symbol. Many of the stamps employed on this fireback are seen, with other stamps, on a wide variety of firebacks, suggesting a common source; similar gothic tracery stamps can be seen as pierced cresting on a rare late-Medieval, wooden Easter sepulchre at the redundant church of St Michael at Cowthorpe, North Yorkshire. Another fireback with an almost identical arrangement of the same stamps has also been noted (no. 713).

Description: Rectangular with canted top corners; twisted rope edging all round except on bottom; three impressions of two circular wafering irons: the central one with invected edge, a heart surmounted by a cross beneath which scroll-work is arranged symmetrically, inscription around edge; the two outer stamps comprise a central motif of four hearts arranged in a cross shape, their points facing the centre, within two concentric bands decorated with lace-like patterns. Above each of the two outer stamps is a simple four-pointed cross shape formed from short lengths of twisted rope.

Notes: The use of wafering irons or butter prints as stamps in casting firebacks is infrequent. Formerly part of the J. H. Every collection.

Inscription: ...N:YOU:NOT: REIVE:MY:HERT:IS:YOURES / [?]1562

Description: Rectangular, edged with twisted leather lengths on top and sides; a ballock dagger with hollow-ground cruciform blade, point down, impressed vertically three times and evenly spaced across the width of the back; between each, two short lengths of twisted leather, arranged in a cross; at either end, the same short lengths of dowel arranged in an inverted ‘V’.

Notes: The dagger (length approx. 38cm) dates from c1575-1625. The probable use of twisted leather is seen occasionally on other firebacks. The grouping of three daggers may also have apotropaic significance in relation to the Trinity.

Description: Arched rectangular shape; fillet edge on top and sides. Shield, helm, crest and mantling of the Worshipful Company of Joiners and Ceilers.

Notes: Blazon: Gules a Chevron Argent between in chief two pairs of Compasses extended at the points and in base a sphere Or. On a chief of the second a pale Azure between two Roses of the field barbed and seeded proper, the pale charged with an Escallop of the second; Crest: a demi Savage proper wreathed about the head and waist with Leaves Vert holding in the dexter hand over the shoulder a Tilting Spear Or headed Argent; arms granted 1571.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Arms: Worshipful Company of Joiners and Ceilers

Description: Arched rectangular central panel with bead on fillet edging and two tassels hanging from top of arch; pictorial image of a cherub with arrows in both hands sitting on a phoenix; arched rectangular border with fillet edging; scallop shell at top with descending ribbons and fruit clusters; date and monogram below central panel; bottom panel with inscription; on top, two sea serpents, with open buds on shoulders of recatngle.

Notes: The customary monogram on such firebacks is NDV. Several anglicised versions of this type of fireback exist. Formerly part of the J. H. Every collection.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: 17 NDW 01 / VOGEL PHOENIX [bird phoenix]

Description: Rectangular; single moulded edge on top and sides; bold date and initials, formed from large individual characters, on same line across full width of plate; otherwise plain. Side lifting lug on top right.

Notes: The style of the numerals, particularly the 6 and 5, can be seen on a smaller fireback of 1656. Lifting handles are only seen on a few firebacks. Formerly part of the J. H. Every collection.

Inscription: 1653 IHA

Description: Damaged rectangular plate; no edging; 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.

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.

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.

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