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921
Description: Canted rectangle; twisted rope edging (top and sides); central arrow-shaped design formed of three repeated rope lengths.
Notes: The arrow design probably has an apotropaic (evil-averting) purpose, perhaps intended as the initials VV for 'virgo virginum'.
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with canted top corners (shape)
- rope (edging)
- simple stamps
- apotropaic
- objects
Manufactured: in the 16th century in the Weald area of England.
Current location: in private hands, Heathfield, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Rope design firebacks
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922
Description: Rectangular; no edging; arrangement of eight fleur de lys stamps formed of, at top centre, four in a cross shape, with two in line on each side; on each side of the cross arrangement is a naked standing putto stamp.
Notes: The putti are an unusual addition to what is a quite crudely decorated fireback
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- none (edging)
- carved stamps
- heraldic
- humans
Manufactured: in the late-16th century in the Weald area of England.
Current location: in private hands, Heathfield, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Figurine firebacks
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923
Description: Rectangular; overlapping laurel leaf edging with flange on right edge; top, seated figure of a monarch with a casket at his left side and the back of a throne behind; centre, bust of a classical male figure facing to the right, surrounded by a circlet of overlapping laurel leaves; bottom, ornamental pedestal on a legged stand, floral fronds issuing from the top, between two flower heads, and descending symmetrically to the bottom.
Notes: Not a fireback, but a left side fireplace back plate. It had a circular aperture in the centre into which, in this instance, a medallion and bust were inserted, the same being inserted into an elaborate rococo fireback (no. 452).
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- overlapping laurel leaf (edging)
- carved stamps
- carved pattern panels
- biblical
- humans
- plants
Manufactured: in the early- to mid-18th century possibly at Robertsbridge Furnace, Salehurst in the Weald area of England.
Current location: in private hands, Heathfield, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Baroque series
- Fireplace back plates
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191
Description: Arched rectangle; cavetto moulded edging; Tudor royal shield, Garter and crown, with crowned lion and dragon supporters; motto along bottom; Tudor rose to left of crown, portcullis to right.
Notes: This painted fireback is reputed to have been a gift from King Henry VIII to the second Sir William Godolphin, who was present at the Siege of Boulogne in 1544 with a party of Godolphin tin miners.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: HONI SOIT QVI MAL E PENSE / DIEU ET MON DROIT
Arms: Tudor royal (Elizabeth I)
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with round arch (shape)
- cavetto (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- armorial
- text
Manufactured: in the mid- to late-16th century possibly in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Godolphin House, Helston, Cornwall, England.
Museum number: 169480 (part of the National Trust museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Tudor royal armorial firebacks
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192
Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and sides); irregular arrangement of four stamps in three rows: face mask with ?crown and ruff (3), flower head with four petals and leaflets (4), fleur de lys (5), and profile of a head with 'Roman' crest (2); initials replace stamps in top corners.
Notes: A larger variant, undated and with other initials but the same four stamps, is also known.
Inscription: TBI I•A•1•6•1•8 / TA S
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- rope (edging)
- carved stamps
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- heraldic
- text
- humans
- plants
Manufactured: in 1618 possibly in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Godolphin House, Helston, Cornwall, England.
Museum number: 169481 (part of the National Trust museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Primitive stamp series
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1076
Description: Fragment; arched rectangular fireback with embattled, cavetto-moulded edging; English Stuart royal shield, Garter, crown and supporters, stemmed rose and stemmed thistle, respectively, to left and right of crown; initials CR above crown; all within a plain border, with short lengths of twisted rope edging containing, at the top, the initial M between a split date; initials (only S surviving) below date.
Notes: A Carolean composite fireback. The armorial fireback includes stylistic elements - the form of the unicorn and of the harp - identical to those on two series of firebacks dated 1618 and 1619, indicating the work of the same pattern-maker; its width is 490mm.
Inscription: M / 1634 / [?] S / C R
Arms: English Stuart royal (Charles I)
- Decoration tags:
- rounded arched (shape)
- rope (edging)
- carved pattern panels
- composite
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- heraldic
- armorial
- text
Manufactured: in 1634 possibly in the Forest of Dean area of England.
Current location: Black and White House Museum, The Old House, High Town, Hereford, Herefordshire, England.
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1075
Description: Arched rectangular shape; cavetto-moulded edging (top and sides); English Stuart Royal arms, garter, supporters, crown and motto; altered date above crown.
Notes: This design, which probably dates from 1619, has been used to cast composite firebacks with a variety of altered dates ranging from 1629 to 1662.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: 1639 [illegible Garter and royal mottoes]
Arms: English Stuart royal
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with round arch (shape)
- cavetto (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- individual numbers
- heraldic
- armorial
- text
Manufactured: in 1639 in the Forest of Dean area of England.
Current location: Black and White House Museum, The Old House, High Town, Hereford, Herefordshire, England.
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902
Description: Rectangular with ogee moulded edging (top and sides); symmetrically spaced along the top, initials, IMF, between split date in well-defined characters.
Notes: The initials are believed to be of John Meers Fagg, who owned Blackford Farm, Herstmonceux, at that date. Fagg purchased three firebacks from Heathfield Furnace, Sussex, in September 1758, costing £4 10s. 6d. They were cast by Thomas Cavie, who was paid a shilling a piece (East Sussex Record Office, Brighton, SAS-RF/15/3/35, f.22). At least one other fireback is known with some of the same character set.
Inscription: 17 IMF 58
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- cyma reversa/ogee (edging)
- carved stamps
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- text
Manufactured: in 1758 at Heathfield Furnace in the Weald area of England.
Current location: in private hands, Herstmonceux, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Date & initials firebacks
- 1750s Heathfield series
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1038
Description: Canted rectangular shape; edging formed of lengths of cross-cut dowel (top and sides); inscription across upper centre probably formed of thumb prints; the last digit of the date may be an incomplete 5 rotated left.
Notes: A crudely executed fireback; the cross-cut dowel used for the edging has not been noted on any other fireback.
Inscription: 16 wo 15[?]
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with canted top corners (shape)
- cross-cut dowel (edging)
- simple stamps
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- text
Manufactured: in the early-17th century in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Herstmonceux Castle, Herstmonceux, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Date & initials firebacks
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1174
Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and sides); top centre, crowned shield bearing initials, KH, above a fleur-de-lys, between a leopard passant guardant sinister (on the left) and a leopard passant (on the right); below the rear legs of each leopard, a fleur-de-lys, each inclined slightly outwards at the top; beneath, and slightly to the left of the shield a circular stamp bearing the letter C.
Notes: One of the legs of the leopard on the right is missing, suggesting that the stamps, which appear complete on many firebacks, were well used and had been damaged; this suggests a relatively late use of these stamps. The style of fleur-de-lys is one of two seen on this series of firebacks. The fireback was formerly at Marden Hill House, Tewin, Hertfordshire.
Inscription: C
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- rope (edging)
- carved stamps
- heraldic
- royal
- text
- animals
- objects
Manufactured: in the mid- to late-16th century in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Hertford Museum, 18 Bull Plain, Hertford, Hertfordshire, England.
Museum number: HETFM2893.2 (part of the Hertford Museum museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Royal series