Firebacks

Description: Rectangular with complex quasi-arched rectangular top; ovolo moulded edging; shield with Royal arms of France in a swirled cartouche, initials inserted at top of shield; above, an English crown; below to right and left, a prancing stag.

Notes: The combination of the English crown and French arms is common and may relate to the marriage of Charles I and Princess Henrietta Maria of France in 1625; although the framing of the pattern is very similar to others of the same basic design, the style suggests a different pattern maker. A recasting of an earlier back with inserted initials.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: IT

Arms: France modern

Description: Rectangular; cyma recta moulded edging; centre top, date formed of individual stamps.

Notes: The moulding used for the edging, which was probably derived from redundant furniture, is very similar to that used on several firebacks of a similar style in the late 17th century, although the lettering style is different. Although its small height suggests that this may only be the top half of a fireback, the existence of a plate of similar dimensions in Brighton Museum may indicate that the proportions were deliberate.

Inscription: 1728

Description: Arched rectangular shaped central panel with top corners cavetto canted, bead-and-pellet edging on a wide fillet; hanging drapery with central tassels over three low-arched cubicles, the two outer smaller than the centre, with Tuscan columns and overlapping scales behind; on a plinth of overlapping scales with a scallop shell behind, the standing figure of Neptune/Poseidon, holding a trident in his right hand; water issues from by his feet and from the waves below him disport two ‘sea horses’ and three dolphins; arched rectangular shaped border with top corners cavetto canted, fillet edging: suspended symmetrical beads with tassel ends decorated with sea shells; between two looped 'W' figures, the inscription separating halves of the date along the bottom; above, a central scallop shell with symmetrical floral scrolls on each side.

Notes: From a design in 'Nouveaux livres de ...Statues [etc.]' (La Haye & Amsterdam 1702-5), by Daniel Marot. The inscription, translated as 'GOD is our strength', is a paraphrase of Psalm 46: 1; the original wooden pattern is in Museum Rotterdam (no. 931}; an identical inscription and date is found on several firebacks. All incorporate the looped 'W' motif which may be intended to identify the pattern maker. Formerly at Dogwells Farmhouse, Corscombe, Dorset; other examples are at Leith Hill Place, Surrey, and Lower Brockhampton farmhouse, Herefordshire, the latter having originally been in Dunster Castle, Somerset.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: 17 DVW Ydyw Ein Cadernid 24

Description: Arched rectangular shaped central panel with bead edging on a wide fillet; two-handled vase with assorted flowers on a stand with scrolled legs; a plant pot on each side; arched rectangular shaped border with fillet edging, symmetrical floral fronds descending from a rose, top centre, with a looped 'W' in each shoulder; inscription at base; on top, symmetrical scrolled plant tendrils.

Notes: The second largest of six flower vase designs in this series. All incorporate the looped 'W' motif which may be intended to identify the pattern maker. The inscription, known from other firebacks in the series, translates as 'God is our strength'. Dore & Rees Auctions, Frome, 6 Dec 2024, lot 93 (£130).

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: 17 DVW Ydyw Ein Cadernid 24

Description: Rectangular with twisted rope edging top and sides; central arch with twisted rope edging; date in arch (8 with flattened top); initials repeated in top corners.

Notes: An unusually large plate to have such simple decoration.

Inscription: 1648 / TK TK

Description: Arched rectangular shape; astragal edging; central, vertically orientated, rectangular design comprising four circular copmpartments each containing a shield, surrounding an oval central compartment containing a castle surmounted by a crest of a hand between leafy branches all emerging from a mural crown, above is a crescent mark of cadency; the compartments are set within ears of corn with a flower head top and bottom centre.

Notes: The central design is a cast of the pattern for two panels, one on each of the pedestals of the outward-facing main columns on the Norwich Gates at Sandringham House, Norfolk. The shields are of Norfolk towns: (top left) Norwich, (top right) Great Yarmouth, (bottom left) King's Lynn, and (bottom right) Thetford. The central arms are those used by the county of Norfolk (before its official grant of arms in 1904) with the crest of the then Sheriff, Robert John Harvey of Crown Point Norwich. The gates were designed by Thomas Jeckyll and made by Messrs Barnard, Bishop and Barnard of Norwich for the International Exhibition at South Kensington in 1862. With some modifications, including the addition of the panel on the fireback, the gates were given by the people of Norfolk to the Prince and Princess of Wales (later King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra) as a wedding gift in 1863. The design on the fireback was impressed into the mould from a panel originally used in the casting of the gates. Lot 183, Dreweatts sale, Newbury, 5 June 2019.

Arms: City of Norwich, Borough of Great Yarmouth, Borough of King's Lynn, Borough of Thetford, County of Norfolk

Description: Rectangular; astragal with cavetto-moulded edging (top and sides); date top centre; initials evenly-spaced below date; low-relief fleur de lys stamp repeated three times down each side, and in triangular arrangement below initials.

Notes: The initials may relate to William Boevey who was owner of Flaxley furnace from 1683-92. Another fireback with the same date and initials, and fewer fleurs, is also known. Formerly at Flaxley Abbey, Gloucestershire. Dreweatts Auctioneers, Newbury, 3 Oct 2022, lot 183 (£240).

Inscription: 1685 / W B

Description: Canted rectangular shape; twisted rope edging (top and sides); top centre, inscription 'C1630C'.

Notes: In the inscription, the letter 'C' may have been formed from a horseshoe. The fireback was discovered in 1959 at the works of Samuel Lewis & Co. Ltd. at Netherton, Worcestershire. It has been suggested that it was probably made by Walter Chetwynd, tenant of the ironworks at Cannockwood in Staffordshire who is mentioned as such in accounts of 1636 and 1637 made by Roger Jones received for William, Lord Paget of Beaudesert, the owner of the works.

Inscription: C1630C

Description: Rectangular shape; ovolo edging (top and sides); top centre, date between two fleurs-de-lys; below, initials spaced apart.

Notes: A small fireback, probably for an upstairs fireplace. Formerly at Cothay Manor, Wellington, Somerset. Auction: Duke's, Dorchester, 7 Sep 2018 lot 585 (£360).

Inscription: 1626 / N M

Description: A rectangular field with a central circle containing a fouled anchor, the rope gathered in eleven loops around it; in the top spandrels the initials HH, on the left, and IH, on the right; below the circle, the initials IM inset in a square; on each side, a strapwork Ionic pilaster formed of alternate hollow squares, with a pyramidal infill in low relief, and hollow circles; outside each pilaster, a crouching stylised humanoid figure, facing inwards, disgorging a fructed vine; above the figures two opposed volutes, forming part of the edging; above the central field, a semi-circular compartment containing a bird, its wings inverted, and three hollow diamond shapes irregularly arranged; the date above the bird; protruding from the edging above each pilaster is a small, inward-facing scroll. Three vertical plank lines can be discerned, one in front of the right-hand figure, one through the I of the initials IH, and one to the right of the second H of the initials HH. The whole design is in low relief.

Notes: This is a reworking of a design seen on a fireback of 1608 (no. 585) though intentionally stylised. The decorative elements have yet to be fully interpreted; on the 1608 version the figures are fauns, the vines disgorged from their mouths being related to the 'green man' tradition associated with woodland spirits and symbolising resurrection, the latter echoed by the bird which, on the earlier version is a phoenix. However, in the form in which they appear on both firebacks they may be purely decorative devices. By contrast, the cabled anchor is the badge of the Lord High Admiral but in 1633 the office was vacant. The initials IM indicate that this is an early work by a prolific fireback pattern-maker more usually associated with the eastern Weald.

Inscription: 1633 / HH IH / IM