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832
Description: Canted rectangular; astragal edging (top and sides), inside of which are repeated panels carved with overlapping fleurs-de-lys; upper centre, date evenly spaced in individual numerals; below date, initials evenly spaced in individual letters; at each end of date, single small fleur-de-lys stamp; at each end of initials, large hollow fleur-de-lys; diagonally from each lower corner of canting, line of six squared cross stamps; in bottom corners, triad of small fleur-de-lys stamps each enclosing a large fleur below; bottom centre, woodblock stamp.
Notes: The repeated fleur panels are likely to have derived from furniture. Varied use of the same stamps are on other firebacks, including one dated 1667 at Upper End Farm, Hope Mansell, Herefordshire.
Inscription: 1683 / AK
- Decoration tags:
- canted rectangular (shape)
- astragal (edging)
- carved stamps
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- heraldic
- text
Manufactured: in 1683 in the Forest of Dean area of England.
Current location: in private hands, not known.
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915
Description: Rectangular with superimposed arch; embattled, cavetto-moulded edging, with the top edge of the rectangle interrupted; quartered shield, helm, crest and mantling.
Notes: The arms appear to be those of the family of Armeston of Burbage, Leicestershire, possibly Thomas Armeston (c1606-85), 2nd son of Thomas Armeston (d.1640), sometime MP for Leicestershire: 1st and 4th (Armeston) sable a chevron between three spear heads argent with a crescent for difference, 2nd (unknown) three chevronels with a rose in a canton, 3rd (unknown) a fess between two chevronels, a crescent for difference over all. The Armeston crest is a dragon's head erased vert scaled or and charged with a crescent of the same for difference; the crescent is the mark of cadency for the second son; in this instance the arms appear to be of a second son descended from a second son in an earlier generation. The embattled edging and superimposed arch are features of a series of firebacks dated 1619. However, the style of the mantling is typical of a small group of firebacks noted in Herefordshire.
Arms: Armeston, of Burbage, Leicestershire
- Decoration tags:
- arched rectangular (shape)
- embattled cavetto (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- armorial
Manufactured: in the early to mid 17th century in England.
Current location: in private hands, Honiton, Devon, England.
- Attached to series:
- Personal armorial firebacks
- Herefordshire armorial series
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1232
Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging on top and sides; date placed slightly right of centre near top.
Notes: A similar fireback with slightly different proportions has the same date using the same numerals.
Inscription: 1679
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- rope (edging)
- carved stamps
- individual numbers
- text
Manufactured: in 1679 in the Weald area of England.
Current location: in private hands, not known.
- Attached to series:
- Date only firebacks
- 1679 Wealden series
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1233
Description: Rectangular shape; no edging; upper centre, initials 'HI'; lower centre, date '1795'.
Notes: Simple design with bold, well-carved characters.
Inscription: H I / 1795
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- none (edging)
- carved stamps
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- text
Manufactured: in 1795 in England.
Current location:, not known.
- Attached to series:
- Date & initials firebacks
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324
Description: Rectangular with two-stepped top; undefined edging; in arch, stamp formed of a talbot statant guardant upon a wreath; date below crest; vertical carved billet stamped three times, the centre one higher than the other two, between the initials, below each pair of which is a cross stamp.
Notes: The talbot crest is seen on other firebacks indicating a common source; from a drawing in report 2553 of the Domestic Buildings Research Group (Surrey). The fireback is obscured behind a stove.
Inscription: 16 30 / IM EM
- Decoration tags:
- stepped (shape)
- simple stamps
- carved stamps
- heraldic
- text
- objects
Manufactured: in 1630 in the Weald area of England.
Current location: in private hands, Horne, Surrey, England.
- Attached to series:
- Talbot crest series
- Stepped firebacks
- Date & initials firebacks
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1003
Description: Large plain arched rectangular fireback with astragal edging on the top and sides.
Notes: Exceptionally large fireback, finely cast.
- Decoration tags:
- arched rectangular (shape)
- astragal (edging)
- whole carved pattern
Manufactured: in the late 18th to early 19th century in England.
Current location: in private hands, Horsham, West Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Base boards
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325
Description: Arched rectangular shaped central panel with bead-and-pellet edging on a broad fillet; Jupiter in his chariot drawn by eagles; above are clouds, below is a landscape; arched rectangular shaped border with fillet edging, with a symmetrical scrolled wire design; the monogram, SHR, bottom centre; above is a symmetrical design of scrolled floral tendrils.
Notes: The design is probably adapted from a personification of the planet, Jupiter, in 'Planetarum effectus et eorum in signis zodiaci', by Marten de Vos (1585).
Inscription: SHR
- Decoration tags:
- 'Dutch' (shape)
- fillet (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- pictorial
- mythological
- allegorical
- text
- humans
Manufactured: in the late 17th to early 18th century in England.
Current location: Horsham Museum, Causeway, Horsham, West Sussex, England.
(part of the Horsham Museum museum group)
- Attached to series:
- SHR series
- British 'Dutch' style firebacks
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327
Description: Arched rectangular shaped central panel with open-bud edging; pictorial: Venus in her chariot drawn by doves, with her child, Cupid; a heron flies away to the left; above are swagged curtains and a pair of tassels, below is a landscape; arched rectangular shaped border with fillet edging, a scallop shell top centre with symmetrical arrangement of vine and acanthus leaves and tendrils; the monogram, SHR, bottom centre; above is a symmetrical design of scrolled floral tendrils.
Notes: The design is derived from a personification of the planet, Venus, in 'Planetarum effectus et eorum in signis zodiaci', by Marten de Vos (1585); the flying heron has been copied from a print by Wenceslaus Hollar c.1658. The theft, in 1699, from a Thames-side warehouse of several firebacks, including '6 of Venus in a Chariot with Doves' may refer to this type (Post Boy 11-14 Nov. 1699).
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: SHR
- Decoration tags:
- 'Dutch' (shape)
- fillet (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- planklines
- pictorial
- mythological
- allegorical
- text
- animals
- humans
Manufactured: in the late 17th century in England.
Current location: Horsham Museum, Causeway, Horsham, West Sussex, England.
(part of the Horsham Museum museum group)
- Attached to series:
- SHR series
- British 'Dutch' style firebacks
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328
Description: Arched rectangular central panel with bead edging; pictorial scene of a figure in Roman dress, holding a large sword, and holding the head of a bearded man in his left hand; below to the left, a naked, decapitated body; above the winged face of a putto between mirrored, scrolled foliage; arched rectangular border with fillet edging; flowers in chain under the arch and down the sides; at the bottom, swirled foliage; on top, a crown between fruit triads.
Notes: Perseus holding the severed head of the Medusa; possibly adapted from a drawing by Crispijn de Passe the elder (1564-1637). Similarities in the design and execution of the pattern suggest a common source with contemporary English firebacks.
- Decoration tags:
- 'Dutch' (shape)
- fillet (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- pictorial
- mythological
- humans
Manufactured: in the early 18th century in England.
Current location: Horsham Museum, Causeway, Horsham, West Sussex, England.
(part of the Horsham Museum museum group)
- Attached to series:
- British 'Dutch' style firebacks
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329
Description: Arched rectangular shape; simulated twisted rope edging (top & sides); central, symmetrical arrangement of a fleur-de-lys between two diamond stamps with two small cross-cut squares below, and a triad of dots outside; above, a haphazard arrangement of date, at top, above the initials, with a rose and crown to the left, and another fleur to the right.
Notes: Almost certainly an altered copy of a similar fireback dated 1613, some of the features of which have remained.
Inscription: 1637 / ILE
- Decoration tags:
- arched rectangular (shape)
- simulated rope (edging)
- carved stamps
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- heraldic
- text
Manufactured: in 1637 in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Horsham Museum, Causeway, Horsham, West Sussex, England.
(part of the Horsham Museum museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Diamond series