Firebacks

Manufactured in England

877 results

  1. 281

    ellesborough,_chequers 07.jpg
    790 x 690 mm

    Description: This fireback comprises at least four separate elements: the rectangular central panel has an anchor with coiled rope between two fleurs de lys, below which are two roses; the two rectangular side panels each comprise a vertical stem with six grape bunches surmounted by a smaller bunch; above, a semicircular arch contains the initials between two roses as in the central panel, with the date above; where the arch meets the central panel there is an arc across each corner; the top and sides panels are edged with simulated twisted rope.

    Notes: A variant of the well-known ‘Armada’ fireback.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: 1588 / IFC

    Manufactured: in 1588 in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Chequers, Ellesborough, Buckinghamshire, England.

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

  2. 282

    ellesborough,_chequers 08.jpg
    560 x 610 mm

    Description: Arched rectangle; cavetto moulded edging; garter enclosing Stuart royal arms, crown, crowned lion and unicorn supporters and motto; initials in top corners.

    Notes: The crown is not typically English in form, suggesting that the patternmaker may have been of foreign extraction.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: C R / [Garter motto - illeg.]

    Arms: English Stuart royal

    Manufactured: in the mid to late 17th century in England.

    Current location: Chequers, Ellesborough, Buckinghamshire, England.

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

  3. 967

    ellesmere_01a.jpg
    ~890 x ~638 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shape; twisted rope edging; central shield, garter, supporters, motto and crown; date in arch; initials 'I R' (Iacobus Rex) separated by crown; initials 'R T' separated by supporters, and level with other initials; fleur-de-lys stamp repeated 16 times, one each side of date, two on each shoulder of plate, five down each side.

    Notes: A naively carved armorial of James I (VI of Scotland). The initials 'RT' are likely to be those of the person who commissioned the fireback. A fireback with an identical armorial, supporters and royal initials, dated 1633, was recorded by Alfred Watkins at Fawley Court, Brockhampton, Herefordshire, before 1918 (but now no longer in situ).

    Inscription: 1611 / R I R T / HONY SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE / [motto illegible]

    Arms: English Stuart royal

    Manufactured: in 1611 in England.

    Current location: 48 Scotland Street, Ellesmere, Shropshire, England.

  4. 58

    enniskillen,_florence court 01.jpg
    726 x 745 mm

    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

    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)

  5. 60

    etchingham,_king johns lodge  01.jpg
    >1130 x 670 mm

    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 (no. 661), indicating a common source..

    Manufactured: in the early to mid 16th century in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: in private hands, Etchingham, East Sussex, England.

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

  6. 1179

    eton_college.jpg
    750 x 860 mm

    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

    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)

  7. 1180

    eton_college_2.jpg
    1170 x 860 mm

    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

    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)

  8. 1051

    every_catalogue 01.jpg
    ~730 x ~670 mm

    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

    Manufactured: in the mid to late 16th century in the Weald area of England.

    Current location:, not known.

  9. 1085

    faversham_930x620.jpg
    930 x 620 mm

    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

    Manufactured: in 1667 possibly in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Faversham, Kent, England.

  10. 941

    fawley_court  01.jpg
    914 x 762 mm

    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

    Manufactured: in 1620 possibly at Whitchurch Furnace in the Herefordshire area of England.

    Current location: in private hands, Fawley, Herefordshire, England.

    Citation: Anon., 1918, 'Second Field Meeting 25th June 1918', Transactions of the Woolhope Naturalists' Field Club, p. xvi.