Firebacks

Manufactured in England

867 results

  1. 309

    hampton_court 09.jpg
    830 x 1110 mm

    Description: Central panel, cavetto-canted rectangle with arch; bud and annulet edging (in alternate threes); pictorial panel portraying Europa being carried to sea by Zeus, disguised as a bull; two female attendants wave from the right shore; two putti attend, one below with a bow and arrow; trees to right and left; clouds and sun above. Same shaped, fillet-edged border with floral scrolls top and sides; at the bottom, a cartouche bearing EB monogram between oak leaf and acorn fronds; on top, central scallop shell between floral scrolls with dolphin’s heads.

    Notes: The central design is closely based on an illustration by Bernard Salomon, first published in a 1557 edition of Ovid’s Metamorphoses and copied in subsequent editions by Virgil Solis (1514-62). The initials, EB, are likely to be those of the pattern maker. The similarity between the execution of this picture and those on firebacks bearing the SHR monogram suggests the possibility of a common source. Ten rivets are the result of later repair.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: EB

    Manufactured: in the early 18th century in England.

    Current location: Hampton Court Palace, Richmond, Greater London, England.

    Museum number: 1107 (part of the Royal Collection museum group)

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

  2. 96

    handcross,_nymans 01.jpg
    1515 x 735 mm

    Description: Rectangular; undulating vine tendril edging (top and upper sides); eight circular, fleur-de-lys butter mould stamps alternating (except at left end) with six rectangular, fleur-de-lys and leaf shortbread or gingerbread stamps, in a line along the top; six bird stamps (wings displayed and inverted) alternating with five pairs of butter mould stamps, as above; continuous line of horizontal vine strips; six descending vine strips, interspaced unevenly with eight butter mould stamps, in pairs except for rightmost two.

    Notes: The bird (probably a swan, a Lancastrian badge) and vine strip stamps are encountered on several firebacks. In 1868 this fireback was recorded at Tickeridge, West Hoathly, Sussex.

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

    Current location: Nymans, Staplefield Road, Handcross, Slaugham, West Sussex, England.

    Museum number: 1206011 (part of the National Trust museum group)

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

    Citation: Stenning, J. C., 1868, 'Notes on East-Grinstead', Sussex Archaeological Collections, 20, pp. 151-2.

  3. 98

    handcross,_nymans 03.jpg
    604 x 822 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shaped central panel with bead edging; naked figure of Mercury/Hermes with winged helmet (petasos), holding a snake-entwined staff (caduceus); he is sitting astride a pair of bellows and blowing a straight trumpet; a twice-bent trumpet lies at his feet; the bellows are pumping air into an organ; to the right of his head is the word, AER (air - Latin); above is a swag of drapery; outside the panel is a narrow border of the same shape with fillet edging; the fireback is surmounted by a scallop shell between two outward-facing sea serpents.

    Notes: One of a series of firebacks symbolising the four elements.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: AER

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

    Current location: Nymans, Staplefield Road, Handcross, Slaugham, West Sussex, England.

    Museum number: 1206021 (part of the National Trust museum group)

  4. 99

    handcross,_nymans 05.jpg
    782 x 497 mm

    Description: Quasi-rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and sides); three gothic panels arranged horizontally, the centre one wider than the other two, each panel a symmetrical arrangement of tracery patterns with an inverted ogee arch on top incorporating two flowers; below are six, irregularly spaced fleurs-de-lys.

    Notes: The panels were probably derived from a dismantled wooden chest or hutch table, c.1500. Their gothic style belies the probable age of the fireback, such chests already being old when their parts might have been re-used. The same panels are on a fireback at East Grinstead Museum.

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

    Current location: Nymans, Staplefield Road, Handcross, Slaugham, West Sussex, England.

    Museum number: 1206065 (part of the National Trust museum group)

  5. 311

    handcross,_nymans 06b.jpg
    1260 x 868 mm

    Description: Quasi-rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and sides); fleur-de-lys stamp repeated 25 times in four rows (6-6-6-7), interspersed with a length of twisted rope repeatedly stamped between each row and sometimes between fleurs; three rope crosses near top corners.

    Notes: The fleurs are identical to others from the ‘Pounsley’ series.

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

    Current location: Nymans, Staplefield Road, Handcross, Slaugham, West Sussex, England.

    (part of the National Trust museum group)

  6. 313

    handcross,_nymans 08.jpg
    1150 x 780 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shape; cavetto moulded edging; date top centre within arch.

    Notes: Plain elegant fireback from a late series, probably cast in the south east of England. The crack emanating from the top right corner of the fireback seems to be a weakness on all the recorded examples, and may have caused by thinness of the base board at that point.

    Inscription: 1853

    Manufactured: in 1853 in England.

    Current location: Nymans, Staplefield Road, Handcross, Slaugham, West Sussex, England.

    (part of the National Trust museum group)

  7. 101

    hartfield,_anchor inn.jpg
    610 x 595 mm

    Description: Rectangular; cavetto moulded edging; date aplit by intitials placed centrally at top.

    Inscription: 17 TM 70

    Manufactured: in 1770 possibly in the Weald area of England.

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

  8. 1240

    hartfield,_chartners_farm.jpg
    1430 x 790 mm

    Description: Rectangular shape; twisted rope edging (top and sides); top centre, crowned shield bearing initials KH above a fleur-de-lys between an angled leopard passant guardant sinister (on the left) and an angled leopard passant (on the right); the group repeated below at a steeper angle; in each top corner, a crowned shield bearing initials KH, above a fleur-de-lys, the left shield over pressed.

    Notes: One of a large series employing distinctive Tudor heraldic stamps. The absence of one of the legs of the leopard passant indicates that this is an example of a later use of the stamp, earlier castings showing the stamp in more complete condition. The only examples of this fireback that have been noted are similarly poor copies lacking definition. Other examples are at Sackville House, East Grinstead and at Nymans, Handcross, both in Sussex.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: KH [x4]

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

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

  9. 1138

    hartpury,_prestberries.jpg
    864 x 533 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shape; twisted rope edging (top and sides); upper centre, date between shoulders of arch.

    Notes: The numerals have been crudely impressed, probably using a pointed implement.

    Inscription: 1658

    Manufactured: in 1658 in the Forest of Dean area of England.

    Current location: in private hands, Hartpury, Gloucestershire, England.

  10. 1243

    harvington_hall.jpg
    640 x 595 mm

    Description: Canted rectangular shape; twisted rope edging (top and sides); top centre, date '1675'.

    Notes: Similar, in size, shape and position of numerals, to a fireback of 1670 but the numerals are from a different stock.

    Inscription: 1675

    Manufactured: in 1675 in England.

    Current location: Harvington Hall, Chaddesley Corbett, Worcestershire, England.

    (part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham museum group)