Firebacks

Manufactured in England

887 results

  1. 1276

    wadhurst,_wenbans_1.jpg
    1160 x 670 mm

    Description: Rectangular shape; twisted rope edging (top and sides only); along the top, two irregular arrangements of rope lengths forming a small quasi-square within a larger quasi-square, with the outer corners of the small square joined to the inner corners of the larger square, a short length of rope extending outwards from the top and bottom right corners of the larger square, and within the left small square a rope saltire, and in the right small square a rope cross; between and outside of these rope arrangements, an arched rectangular stamp, with indented edges, of a crowned rose-en-soleil impressed three times; below each rope pattern a fleur-de-lys; below each rose-en-soleil stamp, a circular, six-pointed-star-embossed stamp with beaded edging.

    Notes: All of the stamps have been noted on a series of other firebacks together with variations of the rope arrangement. The clarity of the condition of the stamps suggests that this casting predates the others in the series.

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

    Current location: in private hands, Wadhurst, East Sussex, England.

  2. 1277

    wadhurst,_wenbans_2.jpg
    1075 x 540 mm

    Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and sides only); rope diagonally length across each top corner.

    Notes: A very simple rope design seen in several variations on other firebacks.

    Manufactured: in the late-16th to early-17th century in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: in private hands, Wadhurst, East Sussex, England.

  3. 1278

    wadhurst,_wenbans_3.jpg
    905 x 600 mm

    Description: Canted rectangular shape; twisted rope edging (top and sides only; two approximately parallel horizontal lines of twisted rope across the upper centre; from the upper line and starting at the top corners, five regularly-spaced vertical lines of twisted rope extending to the top edge, the centre one with a horizontal rope length formiong a cross.

    Notes: A simple rope design with apotropaic significance.

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

    Current location: in private hands, Wadhurst, East Sussex, England.

  4. 1279

    wadhurst,_wenbans_4a.jpg
    860 x 530 mm

    Description: Plain rectangular shape with chamfered and embattled top edge; impression of a utilitarian, domestic knife inclined, blade down, at an angle of about 45 degrees from inside the top corners; the knife measures about 20.5cm in length.

    Notes: An unusual, if not unique, top edge. The form of the knife suggests a late-16th or early-17th century date. The uneven surface of the lower part of the fireback may have been caused by the pouring of the molten metal and the consequent disturbance of the casting sand of the mould.

    Manufactured: in the late-16th to early-17th century in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: in private hands, Wadhurst, East Sussex, England.

  5. 1280

    wadhurst,_wenbans_5.jpg
    1110 x 615 mm

    Description: Canted rectangular shape; twisted rope edging (top and sides); two approximately parallel horizontal lines of twisted rope across the upper centre; from the upper line and starting at the top corners, seven regularly spaced vertical lines of twisted rope extending to the top edge.

    Notes: A simple rope design without apotropaic significance.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Manufactured: in the late-16th to early-17th century possibly in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: in private hands, Wadhurst, East Sussex, England.

  6. 778

    waldron,_heronsdale.jpg
    1450 x ?1120 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shape; cavetto/cyma recta moulded edging; plain rectangular panels at sides; top centre, bull’s head and neck issuing from a marquesal coronet, a baronial coronet above.

    Notes: The crest of the Barons Bergavenny, although it should issue from a ducal, rather than a marchesal, coronet, and the rose normally placed on the neck is missing. The carved crest was affixed to a board of similar shape but smaller dimensions to the board with the moulded edging, indicating that the moulded board could have been used for other firebacks. Believed to have formerly been at Maresfield Park, Sussex.

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

    Current location: in private hands, Waldron, East Sussex, England.

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

  7. 991

    waldron,_star inn.jpg
    1060 x 705 mm

    Description: Rectangular with fillet edging (top and sides) formed from separate strips, possible from furniture; date split by letters in triad; number '1' has a central knob.

    Notes: The initials are believed to relate to Thomas and Mary Manser, who occupied the Star Inn, Waldron, East Sussex, in the seventeenth century.

    Inscription: 16 TMM 94

    Manufactured: in 1694 in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: The Star Inn, Waldron, East Sussex, England.

    Citation: Russell, S., Parker, R. & Chidson, V., 2000, Waldron: Portrait of a Sussex village (Horam, Tartarus Press).

  8. 1159

    waltham_on_the_wolds,_charles_graham_architectural_antiques_a.jpg
    406 x 648 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shaped central panel, nut-shell on fillet edging, narrow-necked vase on a ground, with flowers and pea pods issuing therefrom, a plant in a pot to each side; arched rectangular shaped border with fillet edging and descending quasi-symmetrical floral tendrils; on top, quasi-symmetrical swirled foliage; date split between bottom corners, with two looped 'W' figures between. A single plankline is evident to right of centre.

    Notes: The fourth largest of six flower vase designs on a discrete series of firebacks from 1724. All incorporate the looped 'W' motif which may be intended to identify the pattern maker.

    Inscription: 17 24

    Manufactured: in 1724 in England.

    Current location: not known.

  9. 1246

    warkworth_castle,_dukes_room.jpg
    750 x 905 mm

    Description: Low-arched shape within broad fillet edging marked with a repeated leaf pattern ascending toward the top; on an incised criss-cross field a Tudor royal shield, quarterly France Modern and England, supported by a stylised, scaly dragon and greyhound and surmounted by a crown, all resting on a two-stepped compartment with cavetto- and astragal-moulded edging at the top.

    Notes: Pastiche 'Tudor' design by George Shaw of Saddleworth, Lancashire, c.1850, possibly intended to be passed off as genuine Tudor. Another casting in this form is in Cheetham's Library, Manchester. A variant exists without the leaf pattern on the edging and the 'scales' on the dragon. Firebacks of the same armorial design within a different, arched rectangular, edging are also known.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Arms: Tudor royal

    Manufactured: in the mid-19th century possibly in the Lancashire area of England.

    Current location: Warkworth Castle, Warkworth, Northumberland, England.

    (part of the English Heritage museum group)

    Citation: Brooke, S., 2022, 'Appendix IV George Shaw (1810-1876)', Peregrinations: Journal of Medieval Art and Architecture, 8, 3, pp. 162-183.

    Citation: Foyle, J. & Lindfield, P., 2021, 'A Forger's Folly?: George Shaw's Productions for Cheetham's Library, Manchester', The British Art Journal, 21, 3, pp. 42-50.

  10. 899

    warnham,_westons place 1.jpg
    850 x 620 mm

    Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging; top centre, inscription panel.

    Notes: The inscription panel is identical to that on the memorial plate to Anne Forster in Crowhurst church, Surrey; at least ten other firebacks are known with the same inscription panel. In the will of John Weston, of Weston's Place, Warnham, are bequests to his kinswoman, Frances Forster, daughter of Robert Forster (one of the two sons of Anne Forster), and to John Forster, his godson (TNA, PROB 11/190/472); John Weston's wife was Bridget, grand-daughter of Anne Forster.

    Inscription: HER : LIETH : ANE : FORST/ R : DAVGHTER : AND : / HEYR : TO : THOMAS : / GAYNSFORD : ESQVIER / DECEASED : XVIII : OF: / IANVARI : 1591 : LEAVYNG / BEHIND : HER II : SONES : / AND : V : DAVGHTERS

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

    Current location: Weston's Place, Dorking Road, Warnham, West Sussex, England.

    Citation: Hodgkinson, J. S., 2018, 'The Anne Forster Firebacks', Surrey Archaeological Collections, 101, 99-114.