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58
Description: Arched rectangular shape; cavetto edging; a pheon (a downward-pointing arrow head barbed on the inner edge), the badge of the Sidneys, within a wreath, an earl’s coronet above; the date on either side of the coronet.
Notes: The badge is of the Sidneys, Earls of Leicester. The date is most likely to be 1626 as the Earldom was not conferred upon Robert Sidney until 1618 and he died in 1626. A recast plate.
Inscription: 16 [?]26
Arms: Badge of Sidney family, Earls of Leicester
- Decoration tags:
- arched rectangular (shape)
- astragal (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- individual numbers
- heraldic
- text
Manufactured: in the early to mid 17th century possibly at Robertsbridge Furnace, Salehurst in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Florence Court, Enniskillen, Fermanagh, Northern Ireland.
Museum number: 630836 (part of the National Trust museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Earl of Leicester series
- Personal firebacks
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60
Description: Fragment; rectangular; flanged top edge; probable symmetrical arrangement of crowned Tudor royal shield stamps (4 above 3); vertical line on either side of each shield; left hand print in bottom left corner, probably mirrored on right.
Notes: The right side of the fireback is missing. Very crude modelling of stamp suggests an early date; the same crowned shield and use of hand print can be seen on a fireback at Rolvenden, indicating a common source..
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- flanged (edging)
- simple stamps
- carved stamps
- heraldic
- humans
Manufactured: in the early to mid 16th century in the Weald area of England.
Current location: in private hands, Etchingham, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Hand print firebacks
- Early Tudor series
- Tudor royal armorial firebacks
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1179
Description: Arched rectangular shape; astragal and fillet edging (top and sides); central shield with arms of Eton College, surmounted by a small tilting shield of the pre-1603 Royal arms of England (France modern quartering England) aslant beneath a crown; to each side a spray of lilies; below, a scroll bearing the motto - Esto Perpetua; bottom left the date MCMXCII; bottom right, a panel bearing the phrase C of A and [?].
Notes: The motto Esto Perpetua means Let it be perpetual. Fireback designed by and made for Martin, Lord Charteris of Armisfield, who was Provost of Eton College 1978-91. One of a set of two cast for the college.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: ESTO PERPETUA / MCMXCII C of A [Charteris of Armisfield]
Arms: Eton College
- Decoration tags:
- arched rectangular (shape)
- astragal & fillet (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- heraldic
- armorial
- text
- plants
Manufactured: in 1992 in England.
Current location: Eton College, Eton, Berkshire, England.
Museum number: FDA-A.238:2-2013 (part of the Eton College museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Martin Charteris firebacks
- Corporate firebacks
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1180
Description: Quasi-arched rectangular shape; parallel simulated twisted rope edging enclosing a border of lilies; pictorial representation of the facade and gatehouse towers of Eton College, between which is a clockface below crenellation; above left, two house martins flying; at ground level, ?four people (one of which is said to be Nigel Jaques, one of the masters) all standing on a plinth bearing, in the centre, the date MCMXCV between four small cartouches, of which to the left and nearest the date is a pack of playing cards; others bear the inscriptions, MCM and CofA (Charteris of Armisfield).
Notes: Designed by and made for Martin, Lord Charteris of Armisfield, Provost of Eton (1978-91).
Inscription: MCMXCV
- Decoration tags:
- quasi-arched rectangular (shape)
- rope (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- pictorial
- architectural
- monogram
- text
- animals
- humans
Manufactured: in 1995 in England.
Current location: Eton College, Eton, Berkshire, England.
Museum number: FDA-A.298-2013 (part of the Eton College museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Martin Charteris firebacks
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1051
Description: Rectangular with triangular arch; ovolo-moulded edging (top and sides); small stamp of a ‘Renaissance’ shield bearing the initials IC, repeated eight times 3-2-3) in a regular arrangement.
Notes: The initials have not been identified.
Inscription: IC
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with triangular arch (shape)
- ovolo (edging)
- carved pattern panels
- heraldic
- text
Manufactured: in the mid to late 16th century in the Weald area of England.
Current location:, not known.
- Attached to series:
- Initials only firebacks
- Triangle arch series
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1085
Description: Rectangular; rebated ovolo-moulded edging (top, left and half-right sides); top centre, date with unevenly positioned numerals.
Notes: The asymmetry of the side moulding is unusual.
Inscription: 1667
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- rebated ovolo moulding (edging)
- carved stamps
- individual numbers
- text
Manufactured: in 1667 possibly in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Faversham, Kent, England.
- Attached to series:
- Date only firebacks
- 1660s-90s Wealden series
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941
Description: Arched rectangular shape; scalloping within wide fillet edging; shield, knight's helm, crest and mantling; date split either side of armorial.
Notes: The arms are of Kyrle (vert, a chevron between three fleurs de lys or; crest: on a mount vert a hedgehog or) of Much Marcle, Herefordshire, quartered with Abrahall (azure three hedgehogs or; the fess appears to be erroneous) and Warnecombe (sable, on a fess dancetty argent between three bezants each charged with an escallop of the field as many lions rampant argent armed and langued gules). The second part of the date appears to have been altered by hand for the present casting as the style of lettering for the final two numerals is crude compared with the first two. Sir John Kyrle may have operated the iron furnace at Whitchurch, between Monmouth and Ross on Wye; the style of the carving is the same as on two other firebacks in the same county. It is apparent, from another example, that this fireback has either been broken and repaired, or deliberately reduced in height. Originally the mantling of the helm extended further down, ending in tassels on each side, making the height of the fireback approximately equal to its width. An early photograph of the Fawley fireback, taken by Alfred Watkins, the Herefordshire antiquarian, shows the division of the two parts more clearly (Herefordshire Record Office, AW339b). A copy of the original, un-reduced fireback has been noted with the date 1685 in the distinctive numerals seen on firebacks from Flaxley Furnace, Gloucestershire.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: 16 20
Arms: Kyrle quartering Abrahall and Warnecombe
- Decoration tags:
- arched rectangular (shape)
- fillet with scalloping (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- individual numbers
- armorial
- text
Manufactured: in 1620 possibly at Whitchurch Furnace in the Herefordshire area of England.
Current location: in private hands, Fawley, Herefordshire, England.
- Attached to series:
- Personal armorial firebacks
- Herefordshire armorial series
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65
Description: Canted rectangle; twisted rope edging; plain plate
- Decoration tags:
- canted rectangular (shape)
- rope (edging)
- simple stamps
Manufactured: in the 16th or 17th century possibly in the Weald area of England.
Current location: in private hands, Fernhurst, West Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Base boards
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66
Description: Quasi-arched rectangular shape; twisted rope edging on top and sides of rectangle, and separately around arch; the rope ends extend beyond both ends of the top edge; vertical rope lengths, to full height, inside left and right edges; rope crosses in arch and in upper centre of rectangle.
Notes: Probably an early vernacular example of a design mimicking the ‘Palladian’ style. The crosses suggest Christian significance.
- Decoration tags:
- arched rectangular (shape)
- rope (edging)
- simple stamps
- apotropaic
Manufactured: in the mid to late 16th century in the Weald area of England.
Current location: in private hands, Fernhurst, West Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Rope design firebacks
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292
Description: Rectangular; cavetto-moulded edging; top centre, date, above initials; two low-relief fleurs de lys down each side from top corners, and central fleur below and between the 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 more fleurs, is also known.
Inscription: 1685 / W B
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- astragal with cavetto (edging)
- carved stamps
- heraldic
- text
Manufactured: in 1685 at Flaxley Furnace in the Forest of Dean area of England.
Current location: Flaxley Abbey, Flaxley, Gloucestershire, England.
Citation: Bick, D. E. [incorrectly printed as Bick, R.], Sept 1985, 'Firebacks', Period Homes, pp. 21-4.
- Attached to series:
- Boevey series
- Date & initials firebacks