Firebacks

Description: Arched rectangular shaped central panel, bead edging, bust of female figure with long hair and eastern crown decorated with flowers; arched rectangular shaped border with fillet edging; leafed, Corinthian column on each side with symmetrical swirls of foliage above and a row of acanthus leaves below.

Notes: The figure is that of the Virgin, part of the arms and crest of the Mercers’ Company: Issuant from a Bank of clouds a Figure of the Virgin couped at the shoulders proper, vested in a crimson robe adorned with gold, the neck encircled by a jewelled necklace, crined Or and wreathed about the temples with a chaplet of Roses alternately Argent and of the first, and crowned with a Celestial Crown. The arms were first recorded in 1568. One of a small series of firebacks with similar proportions and detail.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Description: Quasi-arched rectangular shape; fillett edging; vertical stylised seed pods contra-scrolled at each end, flanking central pictorial scene of young Jupiter in front of clouds and sunbeams, above young Mars firing a cannon; above, three roses suspended from swirls flanking a basket of flowers; on each side a foliate scroll with a flower bud resting on each; at the bottom, a separate panel with symmetrical swirled foliage.

Notes: One of a small series of firebacks with similar borders.

Description: Arched rectangular central panel with bead-and-pellet edging; on a ground between two plants, a gadrooned flower vase with two, scrolled handles, tulips and other flowers issuing from the narrow neck; arched rectangular border with fillet edging; mirrored descending flower swags; along a rectangular bottom panel with fillet edging a symmetrical arrangement of swirled foliage; on top, two mirrored sea serpents.

Notes: The presence of tulips suggest a Dutch origin for the pattern of this fireback, although the presence of several examples in England suggest that it was produced here rather than on the Continent.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Description: Canted rectangular shape; no edging; lower centre, carved pattern panel of Stuart Royal arms: shield, garter, crown, motto, supporters and initials, RI separated by crown; lion statant guardant stamp repeated five times, three across top, one each side feet to left.

Notes: The impression of the decorative elements is irregular, with the achievement of arms under-pressed and the three lion stamps along the top over-pressed; the distinctive feature of the unicorn's horn in front of the initial R has been seen on a small number of other firebacks. From a photograph in the J. Starkie Gardner Collection, Victoria & Albert Museum, Archive of Art and Design (AAD/2014/8).

Inscription: I R

Arms: English Stuart royal - James I

Description: Rectangular shape; ovolo-moulded edging (top and sides); date across the top, separated by a bead; initials below date, also separated by a bead.

Notes: The moulded edging has been formed of mis-matched strips. The identical shape and size of the number '2' has been seen on another fireback of 1720. Mallam’s auction, Abingdon, 18 Oct 2022, lot 1122.

Inscription: 17 29 / H I

Description: Arched rectangular shape; ovolo-moulded edging; Tudor royal shield within a cartouche, garter, crown, motto and supporters (crowned lion and dragon); Tudor rose to right of lion’s head, portcullis to left of dragon’s head.

Notes: The cartouche enclosing the shield is an unusual feature. A recasting. Mallam's auction, Abingdon, 9 Aug 2014, lot 1208 (£100).

Inscription: Garter and Royal mottoes [not legible]

Arms: Tudor royal (prob. Elizabeth I)

Description: Arched rectangular shape; twisted rope edging (top and sides); 'concentric' arrangement of 29 'grape bunch' stamps inside the rope edging, a further six inside them horizontally at the top; within those, five lengths of an undulating vine strip angled approximately to fit the curved shape; within them, 24 'grape bunch' stamps, with a single vine strip inside them horizontally at the top and a further line of seven 'grape bunch' stamps horizontally below that; below them, another vine strip horizontally; below that four vine strips placed vertically interspersed with three columns of five 'grape bunch' stamps.

Notes: Both the vine strips and the 'grape bunch' stamps are seen on other firebacks in the same series; the complexity of this arrangement of stamps is paralleled on a fireback recorded at Grayswood, Surrey (no. 72). Mallams auction, Oxford, 22 Feb 2023 lot 94 (£200).

Description: Rectangular; cavetto edging all round; seated lion on right, its tail rising above its back and its head turned to face the viewer; a seated sheep on the left; at the bottom, a plain rectangular extension panel; date split across top.

Notes: Intended to represent the saying, ‘The lion shall lie down with the lamb’, a popular misquotation of Isaiah 11: 6.

Description: Arched rectangular shape; rope edging (top and sides); Tudor royal shield, garter, crown and supporters (crowned lion and dragon); date split by crown; lower right, initial formed of twisted rope with fleur-de-lys terminals; small fleur-de-lys stamp repeated 14 times across top edge and arch; fleur-de-lys cross repeated six times across lower part of plate.

Notes: Identical arms can be seen on at least two other firebacks; minor variations in the position of individual elements indicate that the garter and shield, crown, and each supporter were separately stamped. The lack of definition in the decoration suggests that this is a recast plate.

Inscription: 1595 / I H

Arms: Tudor royal - Elizabeth I

Description: Plain plate with scrolled side edges; canted arched rectangular astragal and fillet top moulding; central shield, crest and motto of the hardy family.

Inscription: ARMEE DE FOI HARDI

Arms: Hardy