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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:
- rectangular with ornate arch (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
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615
Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and sides); two irregularly spaced crosses formed of short, thick twisted lengths of rope.
Notes: The crosses may have been formed by twisting thinner rope around a short length of dowel, and are likely to have Christian significance.
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- rope (edging)
- simple stamps
- apotropaic
- objects
Manufactured: in the 16th century possibly in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Mark Ripley Forge & Fireplaces, Northbridge Street, Robertsbridge, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Rope design firebacks
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616
Description: Rectangular; ovolo-moulded edging (top and sides); date (in two parts) split across upper part of plate.
Notes: A recasting
Inscription: 17 25
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- ovolo (edging)
- individual numbers
- text
Manufactured: in 1725 possibly in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Mark Ripley Forge & Fireplaces, Northbridge Street, Robertsbridge, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Date only firebacks
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618
Description: Canted rectangle; twisted rope edging (top and sides); top centre, initials in triad between split date.
Notes: A late date for a very simple design.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: 17 T M M 48
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with canted top corners (shape)
- rope (edging)
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- text
Manufactured: in 1748 possibly in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Mark Ripley Forge & Fireplaces, Northbridge Street, Robertsbridge, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Date & initials firebacks
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619
Description: Rectangular; astragal edging; leopard passant guardant sinister canted, facing a leopard passant, with a crowned shield between bearing the initials, KH, above a fleur-de-lys.
Notes: One of the Royal series with uncommonly few stamps.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: KH
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- astragal (edging)
- carved stamps
- heraldic
- animals
Manufactured: in the mid-16th century in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Mark Ripley Forge & Fireplaces, Northbridge Street, Robertsbridge, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Royal series
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620
Description: Arched rectangular shape with rounded corners; ovolo within fillet moulding all round; oval Tudor royal shield with garter surrounding, topped with a royal crown; dragon and greyhound supporters; initials split by crown; inscription on a fillet between legs of supporters, behind garter finial; motto on an Ionic plinth at bottom; two rectangular side panels, each with a bird stamp (probably a swan, a Lancastrian badge) above a vine strip stamp repeated three times vertically.
Notes: One of two known variants of the John Harvo fireback incorporating extension panels with vine strips and 'swans'; the positions of the swans vary slightly between the two variants.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: E R [+ Garter, Harvo and royal mottoes, all illegible]
Arms: Tudor royal - prob. Edward VI
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with round arch (shape)
- rope (edging)
- simple stamps
- carved stamps
- whole carved pattern
- individual letters
- extension panels
- heraldic
- armorial
- royal
- text
- animals
- objects
Manufactured: in the mid- to late-16th century possibly at Pounsley Furnace, Framfield in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Mark Ripley Forge & Fireplaces, Northbridge Street, Robertsbridge, East Sussex, England.