Firebacks

Manufactured in England

864 results

  1. 1081

    schubert_(1950).jpg
    ~655 x ~670 mm

    Description: Arch-shaped, the arch consisting of eight, straight, ovolo-moulded sections; longer ovolo-moulded pieces form the lower sides of the fireback; in the centre a circular garter enclosing the Tudor arms of England; above, a crown; the date was carved on a single stamp and placed below left of the crown.

    Notes: From other examples it is apparent that the crown is formed from a separate stamp to the shield and garter. Formerly at the Anchor Inn, Hartfield, Sussex; later at the Carnegie Science Center, Pittsburgh, PA, it was deaccessioned in 2003 from the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh and sold at auction by Skinner, Inc. of Marlborough, MA. Cropped illustration from Schubert 1950.

    Inscription: 1589 / HONI SOIT qVI MAL I PANSE

    Arms: Tudor royal

    Manufactured: in 1589 in the Weald area of England.

    Current location:, United States of America.

    Citation: Hannah, I. C., 1919, 'Notes and Queries No. 4 Fire-back from the old Anchor Inn at Hartfield, now in Pennsylvania', Sussex Archaeological Collections, 60, p. 146.

    Citation: Schubert, H. R., 1950, 'A Rare Group of Wealden Firebacks', Journal of the Iron & Steel Institute, 165, pp. 39-40.

  2. 368

    schubert_(1957) 01.jpg
    900 x 715 mm

    Description: Canted rectangle; twisted rope edging (top and sides); Tudor royal shield within a Garter, supported by lion and dragon stamps, a crown above, between separate ‘E’ and ‘R’ stamps; fleur de lys stamp irregularly repeated four times below right and to left of lion.

    Notes: The shield, garter and crown stamps appear on many firebacks, usually with left-facing lion and greyhound supporters; the presence of the shield and crown indicate the fireback is derived from the same source; the supporter stamps, which are over-pressed, are clearly derived from blocks intended to represent standing models. Formerly at Kirby Frith Hall, Leicestershire. Illustration from Schubert, 1957, pl. 7.

    Inscription: HONE SOYT qVEY MAL Y PENSE

    Arms: Tudor royal - Edward VI or Elizabeth I

    Manufactured: in the mid to late 16th century possibly at Pounsley Furnace, Framfield in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Newarke Houses, Leicester, Leicestershire, England.

    Museum number: H.101.1930.0 (part of the Leicester City Museums museum group)

    Citation: Hodgkinson, J. S., 2010, British Cast-Iron Firebacks of the 16th to Mid-18th Centuries (Crawley, Hodgers Books).

    Citation: Schubert, H. R., 1957, History of the British Iron and Steel Industry (London, Routledge), pp. 256-264.

  3. 1098

    scm_13, 284, palfrey farm, petworth.jpg
    ~1300 x ~700 mm

    Description: Rectangular shape; indeterminate moulded edging; central initials (A? D M)in triad, between split date (6 reversed).

    Notes: The characters have been derived from an odd assortment: the numbers appear to be a recognisable character set, with the 6 and 9 interchangeable; the 6/9 has also been used, with the same stamp as has been used to form the uprights of the M, to construct a probable capital A (or R); the nature of the stamps forming the M is unclear. Noted in 1939 at Palfrey Farm, Petworth, West Sussex, which from the mid-16th century had been home to the Penycod family, suggesting that the fireback had not been original to the house.

    Inscription: 16 / A[?] D M [triad] / 49

    Manufactured: in 1649 possibly at Frith Furnace, Northchapel in the Weald area of England.

    Current location:.

    Citation: Smail, H. C. P., April 1939, 'Iron Firebacks' [letter], Sussex County Magazine, 13, 4, p. 284.

  4. 683

    sevenoaks,_absaloms farm 01.jpg
    1040 x 510 mm

    Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and sides); top left and right, Tudor rose surmounted by a crown (separate stamps); right of centre, irregular pentagram formed of a repeated length of twisted rope enclosing a Tudor rose; on either side of top point of pentagram, a triple-loop stamp irregularly spaced.

    Notes: The pentagram has both Christian and occult symbolism. The fleur and the rose and crown have been seen on another fireback.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Manufactured: in the late 16th century possibly in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: in private hands, Sevenoaks, Kent, England.

    Citation: Hodgkinson, J. S., 2010, British Cast-Iron Firebacks of the 16th to Mid-18th Centuries (Crawley, Hodgers Books).

  5. 684

    sevenoaks,_absaloms farm 02.jpg
    540 x 620 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular central panel with bead edging; an inverted, cabled anchor surmounted by a crown, flanked by one initial each side; arched rectangular border with cavetto-moulded edging; top centre, face of a putto with flowing leaf arrangement descending each side.

    Notes: An English pastiche of the ‘Dutch’ style of fireback, which became popular in the second half of the seventeenth century. One of a small series of firebacks with similar proportions and detail. Much copied.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: C R

    Manufactured: in the mid to late 17th century in England.

    Current location: in private hands, Sevenoaks, Kent, England.

    Citation: Hodgkinson, J. S., 2010, British Cast-Iron Firebacks of the 16th to Mid-18th Centuries (Crawley, Hodgers Books).

  6. 685

    sevenoaks,_knole 01.jpg
    605 x 910 mm

    Description: Rectangular with arched rectangular shaped top joined by cavetto curves; astragal edging; plain surface for the addition of other stamps or panels.

    Notes: Used for armorials by the Dukes of Dorset.

    Manufactured: in the early 18th century in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Knole, Sevenoaks, Kent, England.

    Museum number: 129673 (part of the National Trust museum group)

    Citation: Hodgkinson, J. S., 2010, British Cast-Iron Firebacks of the 16th to Mid-18th Centuries (Crawley, Hodgers Books).

  7. 686

    sevenoaks,_knole 02.jpg
    915 x 910 mm

    Description: Rectangular with arched rectangular shaped top joined by cavetto curves; astragal edging; 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.

    Inscription: [around shield] HONY SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE / [on motto scroll] AUT NUNQUAM TENTES, AUT PERFICE

    Arms: Lionel Sackville, 1st Duke of Dorset

    Manufactured: in the early 18th century in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Knole, Sevenoaks, Kent, England.

    Museum number: 129683 (part of the National Trust museum group)

  8. 687

    sevenoaks,_knole 03.jpg
    905 x 915 mm

    Description: Rectangular with arched rectangular shaped top joined by cavetto curves; astragal edging; 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.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: [around shield] HONY SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE / [on motto scroll] AUT NUNQUAM TENTES, AUT PERFICE

    Arms: Lionel Sackville, 1st Duke of Dorset

    Manufactured: in the early 18th century in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Knole, Sevenoaks, Kent, England.

    Museum number: NT/KNO/M/41 (part of the National Trust museum group)

    Citation: Hodgkinson, J. S., 2010, British Cast-Iron Firebacks of the 16th to Mid-18th Centuries (Crawley, Hodgers Books).

  9. 688

    sevenoaks,_knole 04.jpg
    1210 x 800 mm

    Description: Rectangular; astragal edging; in centre, 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.

    Inscription: [around shield] HONY SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE / [on motto scroll] AUT NUNQUAM TENTES, AUT PERFICE

    Arms: Lionel Sackville, 1st Duke of Dorset

    Manufactured: in the early 18th century in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Knole, Sevenoaks, Kent, England.

    (part of the National Trust museum group)

  10. 350

    sevenoaks,_knole 05a.jpg
    1080 x 875 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shape; cavetto edging; armorial; Stuart English royal arms within a circular garter; crown, motto and supporters (crowned lion and unicorn); initials separated by crown.

    Notes: An early casting of a widely copied fireback.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: C R / HONI SOI T·QVI·MAL·Y· PENSE / DIEU ET MON DROIT

    Arms: English Stuart royal (prob. Charles II)

    Manufactured: in the mid to late 17th century in England.

    Current location: Knole, Sevenoaks, Kent, England.

    (part of the National Trust museum group)

    Citation: Hodgkinson, J. S., 2010, British Cast-Iron Firebacks of the 16th to Mid-18th Centuries (Crawley, Hodgers Books).