Firebacks

Description: Arched plate; ovolo moulding edging; shield, supporters, coronet, helm, crest and motto of Viscount Montague; quarterly Browne, Albini, Fitzalan, Fitzalan of Clare, Warren, Maltravers, Nevill, Montagu, Monthermer, Inglethorpe, Burghe, Delapole, Bradeston, Tiptoft, Charleton and Kent (Plantagenet); supporters: two bears collared and chained; the crest: an eagle, the wings elevated and displayed.

Notes: The arms of either the 2nd (Anthony-Maria Browne, succ. 1592-1629) or 3rd viscount (Francis Browne succ. 1629-1682) - the 1st viscount was a Knight of the Garter and no garter is shown; the style of the modelling bears similarities to that on the 1618 series of firebacks and may be the work of the same pattern-maker.

Inscription: 16 / VERITATE DUCE [Be led by Truth]

Arms: Viscount Montague

Description: Arched rectangle; dentil ovolo-moulded edging; shield, supporters, coronet, helm, crest, mantling and motto of Viscount Montague; quarterly Browne, Albini, Fitzalan, Fitzalan of Clare, Warren, Maltravers, Nevill, Montagu, Monthermer, Inglethorpe, Burghe, Delapole, Bradeston, Tiptoft, Charleton and Kent (Plantagenet); supporters: two bears collared and chained; the crest: an eagle, the wings elevated and displayed.

Notes: The arms of either the 2nd (Anthony-Maria Browne, succ. 1592-1629) or 3rd viscount (Francis Browne succ. 1629-1682) - the 1st viscount was a Knight of the Garter and no garter is shown.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: VERITATE DUCE [Be led by Truth]

Arms: Viscount Montague

Description: Rectangular; plain plate with shield, supporters, ducal coronet, motto and garter of the Duke of Dorset: Quarterly, Or and gules, a bend vair.

Notes: Almost certainly the arms of Lionel Sackville KG (1688-1765), created first duke of Dorset in 1720. This particular design of fireback has been produced in a variety of sizes depending on the space around the achievement of arms

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE / AUT NUNQUAM TENTES, AUT PERFICE [Either do not attempt, or complete]

Arms: Lionel Sackville, 1st Duke of Dorset

Description: Arched rectangular shaped central panel with 'nutshell' edging; pictorial: Mercury in his chariot drawn by two birds (possibly ravens) across the clouds, his caduceus held aloft; above are clouds, below is a landscape with plants; arched rectangular shaped border with fillet edging, a scallop shell top centre with descending symmetrical arrangement of vine and acanthus leaves and tendrils; the monogram, SHR, bottom centre; on top is a symmetrical design of scrolled floral tendrils. One vertical plankline right of centre.

Notes: The design is based on a personification of the planet Mercury in 'Planetarum effectus et eorum in signis zodiaci', by Marten de Vos (1585). Two editions of engravings of de Vos's drawings are known, by Jan Sadeler, dated 1585, and by Gregor Fentzel in about 1650. The holes were for fixing to a grate.

Inscription: SHR

Description: Rectangular shape; simulated rope edging; central panel comprising an anchor with coiled rope between two fleurs de lys, below which are two roses and a grape bunch; the two rectangular side panels each comprise a vertical stem with six grape bunches surmounted by a smaller bunch.

Notes: A variant of the arrangement of panels that comprise one of the well-known 'Armada' firebacks (see no. 281), but without the semi-circular initials and date panel. While it is a plausible variant given the modular nature of the series, this is undoubtedly a 20th-century casting, and it is not possible to state with any certainty whether this is a copy of an early casting or a modern altered one.

Description: Rectangular shape; cavetto-moulded edging (top and sides); single horizontal fillet parallel with top and vertical fillet parallel to each side, dividing the fireback into two side panels, two top corner panels, top panel and main central panel; in top corner panels, initials 'IW'; top centre panel, central date with a stamp on each side in the form of conjoined fleurs-de-lys cresting; in each side panel, two horizontal cresting stamps, one above the other, with a swirling foliage stamp below; at the base, a plain raised panel with an arch in the centre.

Notes: The swirled foliage stamp is the same as has been used to decorate other firebacks associated with the probable founder identified as 'IB', although in this instance the stamp has been inverted. Previously in Bristol.

Inscription: IW 1715 IW

Description: Canted rectangular shape; twisted rope edging (top and sides); top centre, gothic panel of a symmetrical arrangement of tracery patterns with an inverted ogee arch on top incorporating two flowers; on each side, repeated possible front of a wrought-iron andiron or firedog with a horizontal bar and above which are quasi-leaf or flower forms; bottom centre, lozenge shaped outline with two protrusions on top.

Notes: The panel has been noted on two other firebacks and was probably derived from a dismantled wooden chest or hutch table, c.1500. Its gothic style belies the probable age of the fireback, such chests already being old when their parts might have been re-used.

Description: Canted rectangle; astragal edging (top and sides); symmetrically arranged, initials separated by overpressed, fillet edged stamp bearing letters WF surmounted by a bent arm holding a battleaxe issuing from a ducal coronet; beneath are two shields bearing the arms of Fowle.

Notes: The shield and crest stamps relate to William Fowle (1568-1634) and are those used on iron grave slabs in Wadhurst and Frant churches and in Maidstone museum, as well as on other firebacks. The initials have not been identified. Another casting with the same set of initials, but in a slightly different arrangement, has been noted (no. 68), and Christy (1908 p.386) reported on another with slots for two firedogs.

Inscription: EC DT / WF

Arms: William Fowle, of Frant and Wadhurst

Description: Rectangular shape; cyma reversa moulded edging (top and sides); top centre, initials EHA in triad; date split each side of initials.

Notes: Well formed and well spaced letters and numbers.

Inscription: 17 EHA [triad] 51

Description: Low arched rectangular shape; broad rebated fillet edging; stylised Tudor royal shield, crown and supporters (dragon and greyhound); Tudor rose in top left corner; portcullis in top right corner.

Notes: Pastiche 'Tudor' design by George Shaw of Saddleworth, Lancashire, c.1850, possibly intended to be passed off as genuine Tudor. Another casting is at Hever Castle, Kent. Firebacks with the same armorial design within a different, arched edging are also known. Copies of this fireback were advertised in Bratt Colbran Ltd.'s (London) catalogue in the early-20th century.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Arms: Tudor royal