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601
Description: Rectangular; astragal and fillet moulding on top and side edges; symmetrical layout of date and initials; date split between left and right sides, initials in middle, central letter in line with date, outer letters lower.
Notes: One of a series of backs dating to the 1730s and 40s using very similar sets of letters and numerals. K may relate to the surname, while the F and S may relate to the initials of husband and wife respectively. Sold at Christie's Masters and Maker auction, 30 November 2010, lot 521 (£1000 part with no. 623, no. 634 and no. 637). Mander Auctioneers, Sudbury, Suffolk, 2 Dec 2023, lot 455 (ns); 20 Jan 2024, lot 289 (£30 part).
Inscription: 17 K 38 / F S
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- astragal & fillet (edging)
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- planklines
- text
Manufactured: in 1738 in the Weald area of England.
Current location: not known.
- Attached to series:
- Date & initials firebacks
- 1730s-40s, date & initial series
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602
Description: Canted rectangle; twisted rope edging (top and sides); roughly symmetrical arrangement of two large saltires formed of twisted rope inside and below the top corners, with two small saltires, also of rope, between the large ones and the lower ends of the canting.
Notes: The simple arrangement, while likely to be early, is difficult to date with any precision. Christie's Masters and Makers Sale, South Kensington, 30 Nov 2010, lot 532 (£500).
- Decoration tags:
- canted rectangular (shape)
- rope (edging)
- simple stamps
- apotropaic
- objects
Manufactured: in the 16th century possibly in the Weald area of England.
Current location:, England.
- Attached to series:
- Rope design firebacks
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604
Description: Arched rectangular with curved shoulders; cavetto-moulded edging (top and sides) with twin scrolls on inside corners, and scalloped bottom edge; armorial; shield (32 quarters), mantling, supporters (bull and crowned lion), coronet, motto, 2 helms and crests (a bear’s head erased and ducally gorged, and a bear and ragged staff).
Notes: The impaled arms appear to be those of the Earldom of Huntingdon. The crests are of Hastings and Dudley, suggesting they are of Henry, 3rd Earl (c.1535-95), and his wife, Katherine (1548-1620), daughter of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland. She was a child when they married in 1553. This is an incomplete casting, the full version of which includes a bottom panel with a repeated guilloche design. Christie's Masters and Makers Sale, South Kensington, 30 Nov 2010, lot 516 (£4,375).
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: IN VERITATE VICTORIA (illegible, but verified on other castings)
Arms: Hastings, earl of Huntingdon, impaling Dudley
- Decoration tags:
- arched rectangular with curved shoulders (shape)
- cavetto (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- armorial
Manufactured: in the late-16th century in England.
Current location:, not known.
- Attached to series:
- Personal armorial firebacks
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606
Description: Canted rectangle; twisted rope edging (top and sides); seven shields of Ayloffe impaling Sulyard in two rows (3-4); Ayloffe: sable, a lion rampant Or, collared gules, between three crosses formy of the second; Sulyard: argent, a chevron gules between three pheons inverted sable.
Notes: William Ayloffe (c1535-1584) of Hornchurch, Essex, Justice of the Court of Queen’s Bench, married (c1560) Jane, dau. of Sir Eustace Sulyard, of Runwell, Essex.
Arms: Ayloffe impaling Sulyard (William Ayloffe of Bretons, Hornchurch)
- Decoration tags:
- canted rectangular (shape)
- rope (edging)
- carved stamps
- armorial
Manufactured: in the early-17th century in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Mark Ripley Forge & Fireplaces, Northbridge Street, Robertsbridge, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Ayloffe series
- Personal armorial firebacks
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607
Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and sides only); eight shields of Ayloffe impaling Sulyard in three rows, 3-2-3; Ayloffe: sable, a lion rampant Or, collared gules, between three crosses formy of the second; Sulyard: argent, a chevron gules between three pheons inverted sable.
Notes: William Ayloffe (c1535-1584) of Hornchurch, Essex, Justice of the Court of Queen’s Bench, married (c1560) Jane, dau. of Sir Eustace Sulyard, of Runwell, Essex.
Arms: Ayloffe impaling Sulyard (William Ayloffe of Bretons, Hornchurch)
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- rope (edging)
- carved stamps
- armorial
Manufactured: in the early-17th century in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Mark Ripley Forge & Fireplaces, Northbridge Street, Robertsbridge, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Ayloffe series
- Personal armorial firebacks
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608
Description: Rectangular; ovolo-moulded edging (top and sides); shield of the Worshipful Company of Masons: Sable, on a chevron, engrailed argent between 3 castles of the second, with doors and windows of the field, a pair of compasses extended of the first; above, the letter ‘C’, the letters ‘H’ and ‘M’ split by the shield.
Notes: The arms of the Masons’ Company were granted in 1473. Sold at Christie's Masters and Maker auction, 30 November 2010, lot 523 (£500).
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: HCM [triad]
Arms: Worshipful Company of Masons
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- ovolo (edging)
- carved stamps
- individual letters
- armorial
- text
Manufactured: in the early-17th century possibly in the Weald area of England.
Current location:, not known.
- Attached to series:
- Livery company firebacks
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609
Description: Rectangular with plait-effect border and a column of beads down each side; pictorial scene of a male figure in gown and full-bottom wig, holding a fool’s cap in his right hand, standing behind a seated male figure, bald and bearded, with the papal triple crown falling off his head; he is seated at a desk on which are two books; behind him and to the right, three books are on a small shelf. Above the figures, a longer shelf, the width of the plate, supports other books and papers, together with the figure of a dog, from whose mouth a scroll issues bearing an unreadable inscription. On top, two putti hold hands in front of a flaming grenade.
Notes: The design is copied from a cartoon of c.1672 showing Titus Oates, the instigator of the popish Plot, presenting a fool’s cap to the Pope (see Hodgkinson 2010, p.209).
Copies of this fireback are known.
- Decoration tags:
- quasi-arched rectangular (shape)
- bead (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- pictorial
- humans
- objects
Manufactured: in the late-17th century in England.
Current location: Mark Ripley Forge & Fireplaces, Northbridge Street, Robertsbridge, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Miscellaneous pattern firebacks
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611
Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and sides) with fillet inside; top centre, rose-and-crown between four concentric roundels, two on each side in line, with two more below the inner ones; small fleurs-de-lys in triad below rose-and-crown; top left, initials; top right, date; small rose below date; triad of small roses to right of, and below, initials.
Notes: The style of rose and crown is similar to that used in gun founding in the Tudor period, suggesting that the furnace that was the source of this fireback may have been used for that purpose. Sold at Christie's Masters and Makers auction, 30 November 2010, lot 524 (£688).
Inscription: RP 1692
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- rope (edging)
- carved stamps
- heraldic
- royal
- text
- objects
Manufactured: in 1692 in the Weald area of England.
Current location: in private hands, Wadhurst, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- 1660s-90s Wealden series
- Date & initials firebacks
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613
Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and sides); top centre, crowned Tudor royal shield between, on the left, and angled lion passant guardant sinister and, on the right, an angled lion passant; in each of the top corners, a four petalled rose; below the shield, a crowned shield bearing the initials above a small fleur-de-lys, between two crowned four-petalled roses; outside each of the roses, a pair of ‘imp’ figures, one with an arm raised, the other with both arms lowered.
Notes: A copy; one of the ‘Royal’ series. Sold at Christie's Masters and Makers auction, 30 November 2010, lot 522 (£2,125).
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: KH
Arms: Tudor royal arms of England
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- rope (edging)
- carved stamps
- heraldic
- armorial
- animals
Manufactured: in the mid-16th century in the Weald area of England.
Current location: not known.
- Attached to series:
- Royal series
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614
Description: Rectangular; cavetto-moulded edging; English royal Stuart shield, garter, crown, crowned lion and unicorn supporters, and motto; initials split by crown.
Notes: A bold, well-sculpted pattern.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: I R / HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE / DIEU ET MON DROIT
Arms: English Stuart royal - James I
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- cavetto (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- individual letters
- armorial
- royal
- text
Manufactured: in the early-17th century in England.
Current location: Mark Ripley Forge & Fireplaces, Northbridge Street, Robertsbridge, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Jacobean royal armorial firebacks
- Stuart royal armorial firebacks