Firebacks

Manufactured in England

870 results

  1. 1018

    greenwich,_national maritime museum 02a.jpg
    870 x 740 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular; cavetto-moulded edging, invected on the inner edge; English royal Stuart shield, garter, crown, supporters and motto; monogram to right of unicorn supporter.

    Notes: The monogram probably identifies the pattern-maker, whose invected edging seems to be a distinctive style.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE / RN / DIEV ET MON DROIT

    Arms: English Stuart royal

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

    Current location: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, England.

    Museum number: AAA3476 (part of the National Maritime Museum museum group)

  2. 73

    groombridge,_bird in hand st 01a.jpg
    783 x 497 mm

    Description: Plain rectangular plate; print of a left hand, lower centre.

    Notes: The excrescence above and to the left of the hand print shows where the pouring iron displaced the casting sand.

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

    Current location: in private hands, Groombridge, Kent, England.

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

  3. 74

    groombridge,_bird in hand st 02.jpg
    550 x 580 mm

    Description: Rectangle with flattened ogee arch; ovolo, simulated rope edging; shield, garter, helm, mantling, crown and supporters (crowned lion and unicorn) of the English royal house of Stuart; motto across base

    Notes: A variation of a type, dated 1618, noted at Burwash, Sussex.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: DIEU ET MON DROIT

    Arms: English Stuart royal

    Manufactured: in the early 17th century possibly in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: in private hands, Groombridge, Kent, England.

  4. 75

    groombridge,_prowdes 01.jpg
    ~780 x 520 mm

    Description: Rectangular; ovolo moulded edging (top and sides); 14 impressions of a fleur de lys, arranged in three horizontal rows (5-4-5), carefully spaced.

    Notes: The same fleur de lys stamp has been noted on several firebacks, indicating a common source.

    Manufactured: in the mid to late 16th century possibly at Pounsley Furnace, Framfield in the Weald area of England.

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

  5. 1226

    groombridge_place_01a.jpg
    1130 x 560 mm

    Description: Rectangular; rope edging (top & sides); in centre, Tudor shield, garter, crown and supporters (greyhound and lion) between two fleurs-de-lys; date top left.

    Notes: A badly corroded fireback. The armorial achievement is seen on other firebacks and was formed from four separate stamps; the supporters are consistent with the date; the style of the numerals is uncharacteristic of the period. The sharpness of the detail on the crown and upper part of the Garter indicates that the fireback is contemporary with the date, and not older as similar examples seem to be. The same date in identical form is on a similar fireback at Penshurst Place, Kent.

    Inscription: 1579 / [Garter motto incomplete]

    Arms: Tudor royal

    Manufactured: in 1579 in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Groombridge Place, Speldhurst, Kent, England.

  6. 306

    groombridge_place_05.jpg
    610 x 455 mm

    Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and sides) with a fillet inside; top centre, concentric roundel with rose-and-crown below; top left, initials in triad with small rose below 'W' and small fleur-de-lys below 'M'; upper right, date with small fleur below '6' and small rose lower, below second '7'.

    Notes: The style of rose and crown is similar to that used in gun founding in the Tudor period, suggesting that the furnace that was the source of this fireback may have been used for that purpose.

    Inscription: WLM [triad] 1677

    Manufactured: in 1677 in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: in private hands, Groombridge, Kent, England.

  7. 76

    guildford_museum 01.jpg
    655 x 445 mm

    Description: Rectangular with ‘portico’ arch; cavetto edging; two-handled vase, flower stems on each side entwined round handles; flowers emerging from top of vase; base of vase overlaps the edging.

    Notes: One of a varied group of small firebacks with bold, simple designs and cavetto edging; formerly in the possession of Gertrude Jekyll, Munstead Wood, near Godalming, Surrey.

    Manufactured: in the mid 17th century possibly in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Guildford Museum, Guildford, Surrey, England.

    Museum number: S.7129 (part of the Guildford Museum museum group)

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

    Citation: Jekyll, G., 1903, Old West Surrey, London, Longmans.

  8. 77

    guildford_museum 02.jpg
    382 x 610 mm

    Description: 'Dutch' style; arched rectangular shaped central panel, bead edging, two children sitting astride a beast (possibly a winged ram); arched rectangular shaped border, fillet edging, swags of fruit bunches suspended from ribbon; on top, symmetrical floral swirls and flowers.

    Notes: The image is probably intended to be Phrixus and Helle riding the winged ram with the golden fleece, but in recasting it has been misinterpreted as the young Samson slaying the lion at Timnath; Judges 14: 5-6.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: 16 NDW 97 / DER JUNGE SAMSON [the young Samson]

    Manufactured: in the late 17th to early 18th century possibly in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Guildford Museum, Guildford, Surrey, England.

    Museum number: G.486 (part of the Guildford Museum museum group)

  9. 78

    guildford_museum 03.jpg
    715 x 440 mm

    Description: Sub-rectangular; twisted rope edging; lengths of twisted rope arranged to form two 'V' shapes and an 'I' overlapping to forma possible monogram.

    Notes: The 'monogram' comprises different length pieces of rope and may have an apotropaic significance, the double 'V' referring to the Virgin Mary.

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

    Current location: Guildford Museum, Guildford, Surrey, England.

    Museum number: G.488 (part of the Guildford Museum museum group)

    Citation: Easton, T. & Hodgkinson, J. S., 2013, 'Apotropaic Symbols on Cast-Iron Firebacks', Jnl. of the Antique Metalware Soc., 21, pp. 14-33.

  10. 81

    guildford_museum 06.jpg
    677 x 620 mm

    Description: Rectangular with two mirrored scrolls on top, a lion’s face between; bas-relief semi-circle edging (sides and bottom); central pilaster with vine scrolling, Corinthian capital, initials on the pedestal; on either side, an arched alcove, each with a halberdier in mid-17th century clothes, their feet pointing to the middle.

    Notes: Stylistically similar to the Lenard fireback (no. 429), the initials also appear on other firebacks, possibly from Brede. All known examples of this fireback are poorly modelled and cast.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: IM

    Manufactured: in the early to mid 17th century possibly at Brede Furnace in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Guildford Museum, Guildford, Surrey, England.

    Museum number: S.7108 (part of the Guildford Museum museum group)

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

    Citation: Hodgkinson, J. S., 2014, 'A Seventeenth-Century Sussex Woodcarver: The Evidence of Cast Ironwork', Regional Furniture, 28, pp. 39-48.

    Citation: Lloyd, N., 1925, 'Domestic Ironwork I', Architectural Review, 58, pp. 58-67.