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84
Description: Arched rectangular shape; ‘egg and dart’ ovolo moulding visible on top and sides; shield, helmet, crest, mantling and supporters of the Mohun family.
Notes: Cast from a finely carved pattern, the supporters denote these are the arms of a peer. The crest is: Gules, a maunch ermine, with a hand proper holding a fleur de lys or. Egg and dart moulding is rare and examples (at Maidstone and Burwash) may be the work of the same pattern maker. From Sidney Farm, Alfold, Surrey; Reginald Mohun (pron. Moon) of Dedisham, Slinfold, Sussex, was husband of Elizabeth Blounte of Dedisham c.1636. Bottom missing due to corrosion.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Arms: Mohun family, barons of Okehampton
- Decoration tags:
- arched rectangular (shape)
- ovolo, egg and dart (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- heraldic
- armorial
Manufactured: in the early to mid 17th century in England.
Current location: Guildford Museum, Guildford, Surrey, England.
Museum number: G.7106 (part of the Guildford Museum museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Personal armorial firebacks
- Mohun series
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85
Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging; twisted rope arranged to form inscription across upper half of plate.
Notes: The double 'v' may have an apotropaic significance, invoking the Virgin Mary.
Inscription: +W+
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- rope (edging)
- simple stamps
- apotropaic
- objects
Manufactured: in the mid to late 16th century possibly in the Weald area of England.
Current location: in private hands, Hadlow Down, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Rope design firebacks
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86
Description: Quasi-arched rectangular shape; fillet edging; central female figure with urn on head, above which is an oval cartouche (possibly a mirror); to left, fireplace with basket grate, above which a lobster and another (unidentified) creature bear a covered vase; to right a seated female figure stretches forth her left arm, behind her is a statue of a female figure on a plinth at the foot of a curving flight of stairs; the whole is surrounded by naturalistic rocks and trees, suggesting a grotto.
Notes: An unusually free pictorial decoration.
Copies of this fireback are known.
- Decoration tags:
- quasi-arched rectangular (shape)
- fillet (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- pictorial
- humans
- plants
- objects
Manufactured: in the early 18th century in England.
Current location: in private hands, Hadlow Down, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Late pictorial series (all)
- Late pictorial series 4
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91
Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and sides); narrow top panel and two narrow side panels, each separated by twisted rope; top panel with symmetrical inscription line begun and ended with a stamp formed of four spots in square, the same stamps separating the date, each of the initials and a central rose stamp, the date being repeated at each end; plain side panels; central panel comprising three shields bearing a rose and crown, one on the top line between two rectangles, each bearing a griffin passant, and two shields on the ends of the lower line with two rectangles with griffins between, the bottom half of the plate is plain.
Notes: The shield and griffin stamps appear on two firebacks at Hastings Museum, in each of which the shields are inverted.
Inscription: 1569 HB AB 1569
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- rope (edging)
- simple stamps
- carved stamps
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- heraldic
- text
- animals
- plants
Manufactured: in 1569 in the Weald area of England.
Current location: in private hands, Hadlow Down, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Griffin series
- Date & initials firebacks
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1006
Description: Rectangular shape with twisted rope edging (top and sides); date split between top corners.
Notes: The central button on the number 1 is consistent with a date in the first half of the seventeenth century. Hall's auction, Shrewsbury, 28 Oct 2015, lot 127 (£190).
Inscription: 16 37
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- rope (edging)
- individual numbers
- text
Manufactured: in 1637 possibly in the Shropshire area of England.
Current location: in private hands, Wigmore, Herefordshire, England.
- Attached to series:
- Date only firebacks
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882
Description: Arched rectangular shape; simulated twisted rope edging (top & sides); symmetrical triad arrangement of fleurs de lys (two types - 2 and 1), diamond shapes (2) and cross-cut squares (4) includes the monogram in which the letters I and F are separated by a small, hollow diamond stamp, the M being above between I and reversed B; interspersed symmetrical arrangement of raised spots (8).
Notes: The initials, IMF, as with other triple-lettered forms, in which the middle letter is set apart from the other two, may relate to a married couple where their surname initial is M; a variant of the more common version but with additional letters I and B separately stamped. Full-scale pencil drawing (anon.) in Historic England Record Centre, Swindon, Wiltshire (MD96/06202) of a fireback originally at 124 Heath Street (formerly the Upper Flask Tavern), Hampstead, London.
Inscription: 1613 / I M B / I F
- Decoration tags:
- arched rectangular (shape)
- simulated rope (edging)
- carved stamps
- carved pattern panels
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- heraldic
- text
Manufactured: in 1613 in the Weald area of England.
Current location:, not known.
Museum number: MD96/06202 (part of the English Heritage museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Diamond series
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87
Description: 'Dutch' style; cavetto-canted arched rectangular shaped central panel, double fillet and bead edging, figure of Poseidon/Neptone, trident in right hand, standing on three scallop shells, within a niche with a demi-hemispherical roof and two sloping supporting walls, on either side is a mythical seahorse, below is a walled fountain base with two mermaids at the front; cavetto-canted arched rectangular shaped border with scallop and clam shells separated by swirled foliage, monogram at base between scrolled foliage; on top, scrolled foliage.
Notes: From a design in 'Nouveaux livres de ...Statues [etc.]' (La Haye & Amsterdam 1702-5), by Daniel Marot.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: EB
- Decoration tags:
- 'Dutch' (shape)
- fillet (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- pictorial
- mythological
- monogram
- text
- animals
- humans
- objects
Manufactured: in the early 18th century in England.
Current location: Hampton Court, Richmond, Greater London, England.
Museum number: 1098 (part of the Royal Collection museum group)
- Attached to series:
- EB series
- British 'Dutch' style firebacks
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88
Description: Rectangular with triangular arch; stepped fillet edging; eleven columns of fleurs de lys, maximum seven in column, but varied according to space, with fleurs alternated for spacing.
Notes: Whole pattern with five vertical planklines; a field of small fleurs de lys, France Ancient in royal heraldry, might suggest a continental origin.
Copies of this fireback are known.
- Decoration tags:
- rectangle with pediment (shape)
- stepped fillet (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- planklines
- heraldic
- objects
Manufactured: in the late 16th to early 17th century possibly in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Hampton Court, Richmond, Greater London, England.
- Attached to series:
- Miscellaneous royal firebacks
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89
Description: Quasi-arched rectangular shaped, with sides leaning slightly towards the top; wide ovolo edging (top and sides) with twisted rope relief; Tudor shield, garter, crown and supporters (crowned lion and dragon); motto along base; irregular ribbon behind.
Notes: Whole pattern; strong stylistic similarities with a Buckhurst arms fireback at Michelham Priory suggest a common pattern maker and possibly furnace.
Inscription: DIEV ET MON DROI
Arms: Tudor royal (prob. Elizabeth I)
- Decoration tags:
- quasi-arched rectangular (shape)
- ovolo, simulated rope (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- armorial
- royal
- text
Manufactured: in the late 16th century in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Hampton Court, Richmond, Greater London, England.
Museum number: 1241 (part of the Royal Collection museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Ornate border series
- Tudor royal armorial firebacks
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90
Description: Rectangular; ovolo moulded edging (top and sides); eight impressions of a fleur de lys, arranged in three horizontal rows (3-2-3), carefully spaced.
Notes: The same fleur de lys stamp has been noted on several firebacks, indicating a common source.
Copies of this fireback are known.
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- ovolo (edging)
- carved stamps
- heraldic
- objects
Manufactured: in the mid to late 16th century possibly at Pounsley Furnace, Framfield in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Hampton Court, Richmond, Greater London, England.
(part of the Royal Collection museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Pounsley series