Firebacks

Description: Double arched rectangular shaped; ovolo edging; central clock dial with Roman numerals separated by stops, sunburst inside, single hand with fleur de lys pointer; teardrop weights suspended from each side; symmetrical tendrils above.

Notes: One of the ‘hooked 1’ series of firebacks - the number ‘1’ is just discernable bottom left; two versions exist of this fireback, the other having finials above the suspended weights.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: I · II · III · IIII · V · VI · VII · VIII · IX · X · XI · XII / 16...

Description: Arched rectangular shaped; cavetto-moulded edging; on each side a column of large overlapping leaves above a pedestal with a single rose; issuing from the top of each column two ribbons, in figure-of-eight with grenade terminals, fly across the arch; within an arched central panel with bead edging three naked children disport about a swag of fruit, with a central pomegranate, suspended from the top of each column; one figure sits on the top, facing right, the other two hang symmetrically from below; along the base is a line of acanthus leaves; on top a sea serpent is curled on each end.

Notes: The design may have been inspired by the paintings of Jan Pauwel Gillemans the younger (1651-1704); he may have worked in London in 1675-8. Another version (no. 575), probably by the same pattern maker, has a central finial on top and different proportioned fruit and figures.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Description: Flattened arched rectangular shape with rebated concave shoulders; double fillet edging; 11 x 9 grid portcullis with symmetrical chains in ‘S’ arrangement ending in a ring, from top corners, surmounted by an arched royal crown.

Notes: Whole pattern; the portcullis has a realistic, rather than symbolic, appearance.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Description: Rectangular, cavetto moulded edging; Stuart royal shield, garter, supporters and crown.

Notes: Four clear vertical plank lines indicate that the pattern for this fireback was formed of a series of boards probably secured by horizontal battens on the rear.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE

Arms: English Stuart royal

Description: Arched rectangular; ovolo edging (top and sides only); arms of the Barony of Ashburnham: (1st & 4th) gu. a fess between six mullets ar. (Ashburnham), (2nd) az. a lion rampant between eight fleurs de lys ar. (Holland), (3rd) erm. three crescents gu. (Kenn); on an escutcheon of pretence a chevron between three boys heads couped at the shoulders each entwined around the neck with a snake (Vaughan). Supporters: two greyhounds sa. their faces, breasts, and feet ar. collared and lined or; on either side of the arms is a winged cherub’s head; below each is a monogram of ‘B J’ beneath a baron’s coronet.

Notes: The arms are those of John, 1st Baron Ashburnham (1656-1710), who married Bridget Vaughan, but the fireback dates from the time of his son, John, the 3rd Baron, created Earl in 1730.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: LE ROY ET L’ESTAT / 17 13

Arms: John, 1st Baron Ashburnham

Description: Rectangular; astragal and fillet moulding on top and side edges; symmetrical layout of date and initials; date split between left and right sides, initials in middle, central letter in line with date, outer letters lower.

Notes: One of a series of backs dating to the 1730s and 40s using very similar sets of letters and numerals. K may relate to the surname, while the F and S may relate to the initials of husband and wife respectively. Sold at Christie's Masters and Maker auction, 30 November 2010, lot 521 (£1000 part with no. 623, no. 634 and no. 637). Mander Auctioneers, Sudbury, Suffolk, 2 Dec 2023, lot 455 (ns); 20 Jan 2024, lot 289 (£30 part).

Inscription: 17 K 38 / F S

Description: Arched rectangular with curved shoulders; cavetto-moulded edging (top and sides) with twin scrolls on inside corners, and scalloped bottom edge; armorial; shield (32 quarters), mantling, supporters (bull and crowned lion), coronet, motto, 2 helms and crests (a bear’s head erased and ducally gorged, and a bear and ragged staff).

Notes: The impaled arms appear to be those of the Earldom of Huntingdon. The crests are of Hastings and Dudley, suggesting they are of Henry, 3rd Earl (c.1535-95), and his wife, Katherine (1548-1620), daughter of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland. She was a child when they married in 1553. This is an incomplete casting, the full version of which includes a bottom panel with a repeated guilloche design. Christie's Masters and Makers Sale, South Kensington, 30 Nov 2010, lot 516 (£4,375).

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: IN VERITATE VICTORIA (illegible, but verified on other castings)

Arms: Hastings, earl of Huntingdon, impaling Dudley

Description: Rectangular with plait-effect border and a column of beads down each side; pictorial scene of a male figure in gown and full-bottom wig, holding a fool’s cap in his right hand, standing behind a seated male figure, bald and bearded, with the papal triple crown falling off his head; he is seated at a desk on which are two books; behind him and to the right, three books are on a small shelf. Above the figures, a longer shelf, the width of the plate, supports other books and papers, together with the figure of a dog, from whose mouth a scroll issues bearing an unreadable inscription. On top, two putti hold hands in front of a flaming grenade.

Notes: The design is copied from a cartoon of c.1672 showing Titus Oates, the instigator of the popish Plot, presenting a fool’s cap to the Pope (see Hodgkinson 2010, p.209).

Copies of this fireback are known.

Description: Arched rectangular shape with rounded corners; ovolo within fillet moulding all round; oval Tudor royal shield with garter surrounding, topped with a royal crown; dragon and greyhound supporters; initials split by crown; inscription on a fillet between legs of supporters, behind garter finial; motto on an Ionic plinth at bottom; two rectangular side panels, each with a bird stamp (probably a swan, a Lancastrian badge) above a vine strip stamp repeated three times vertically.

Notes: One of two known variants of the John Harvo fireback incorporating extension panels with vine strips and 'swans'; the positions of the swans vary slightly between the two variants.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: E R [+ Garter, Harvo and royal mottoes, all illegible]

Arms: Tudor royal - prob. Edward VI

Description: Rectangular; ovolo moulded edging (top and sides); at top, date split by initials (with dot between).

Notes: A bold, elegant plate with characters in high relief. The character set is known to have been used for another fireback cast at Heathfield Furnace, Sussex. Sold at Christie's Masters and Makers auction, 30 November 2010, lot 521 (£1000 part with no. 601, no. 637 and no. 634).

Inscription: 17 I·P 54