Firebacks

Description: Canted rectangle; fillet edging (top and sides); date to full width across centre of plate.

Notes: Bold, evenly-spaced numerals.

Inscription: 1688

Description: Arched rectangular shape with cyma recta shoulders; astragal edging (top and sides); top centred, date split by a mirrored 'TC' monogram.

Notes: A bold, simple design, its dimensions reflecting the reduced size of fireplaces in the period.

Inscription: 16 TCTC 93

Description: Canted rectangle; stepped fillet edging (top and sides); straight twisted rope lengths parallel to top and parallel to each side, forming inner rectangle with rope quadrants across top corners; side compartments: line of 12 beads along top inside rope line, 3 semi-circular at corners, with a single bead in each corner quadrant, and 8 down each side; top centre, date with single bead above; cross with a cross stamp repeated 10 times to right of date and 9 time to left, one in each corner, and 13 down the left side and 12 down the right.

Notes: The quadrant arc and use of repeated beads suggests a common source with other firebacks of the same period.

Inscription: 1686

Description: Canted rectangle; inset twisted rope edging (top and sides); stamp formed of a statuette of an standing angel with left hand at the waist, and holding a sceptre in the right hand; date split either side of angel; initials 'RD' split above date; initials 'IDA' in triad above angel; small face stamp in each top corner.

Notes: The identity of those to whom the initials refer is not known; the use of the angel statuette is a rare inclusion of a religious motif on an English fireback. A variant of this fireback is at Flaxley Abbey, Gloucestershire (no. 293).

Inscription: IDA [triad] / R D / 16 32

Description: Arched rectangular shape; twisted rope edging (top and sides); date in arch; initial triads in top shoulders of plate; small mask patera repeated once above date and on each side of 'H' initials.

Notes: The small mask patera has not been seen on other firebacks.

Inscription: 1631 / WHK [triad] WHK [triad]

Description: Arched rectangular shape; cavetto-moulded edging; shield, supporters, earl's coronet and motto scroll.

Notes: The arms are of the Hyde family: azure, a chevron between three lozenges or; the supporters: two eagles, wings endorsed sable, ducally crowned and charged on the breast with a cross or; Edward Hyde (1609-74) was created earl of Clarendon in 1661. An excrescence over the sinister supporter indicates where the iron was poured clumsily into the open sand mould.

Arms: Hyde, earls of Clarendon

Description: Arched rectangular shape; ‘egg and dart’ ovolo moulding visible on top and sides; shield, helmet, crest, mantling and supporters of the Mohun family; above the crest, the initials 'EM'; date separated by the crest.

Notes: Cast from a finely carved pattern, the supporters denote these are the arms of a peer. The crest is: Gules, a maunch ermine, with a hand proper holding a fleur de lys or. An incomplete casting (without the initials or date) from Sidney Farm, Alfold, Surrey, is in Guildford Museum. Reginald Mohun (pron. Moon) of Dedisham, Slinfold, Sussex, married Elizabeth Blounte of Dedisham at Slinfold 21 Dec 1618. The Mohun barony of Okehampton, Devon was created in 1628. The fireback design probably dates from after that, the initials and date being added when this copy was cast in 1676. Bellmans auction, Wisborough Green, 1 Oct 2020 lot 3084 (£45).

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: EM / 16 76 / [indecipherable motto]

Arms: Mohun family, barons of Okehampton

Description: Low-arched shape with bevelled edging (top and sides); in each top corner, capital letter 'P' below a stylised earl's coronet, the serif at the foot of the P facing outwards on each side of the fireback.

Notes: Evidently intended to relate to the property of, or commemorating, an earl; the earldom in question has not been identified.

Inscription: P P

Description: Canted rectangle; twisted rope edging (top and canting only); centre top, date (written as 1018); below to left and right, initials.

Notes: It has been suggested that the initials IR relate to King James I but the lack of any other royal decoration makes this unlikely.

Inscription: 1618 / IR IR

Description: Rectangular shape; twisted rope edging; top centre, a lion passant on the right and a lion passant guardant sinister on the left; in each top corner, a four-petalled Tudor rose; below each rose, two 'imps', one with right arm raised, the other with both arms lowered, the pair on the left facing to the right and the pair on the right facing to the left; below each lion, a crowned, four-petalled Tudor rose.

Notes: A fireback with a combination of stamps seen on a series of backs probably first produced during the reign of Henry VIII