Firebacks

Manufactured in Germany

130 results

  1. 754

    va_30.jpg
    540 x 745 mm

    Description: Rectangular; flanged edging; two panels at top, each with double astragal edging, containing the figures of St James and St Peter; plain panel below with same dging; bottom panel with fillet edging containing carved stamps of scrolled foliage and beasts.

    Notes: Carved religious figures are common on stove-plates.

    Manufactured: in the mid- to late-16th century possibly in the Eifel area of Germany.

    Current location: Victoria & Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, Kensington & Chelsea, Greater London, England.

    Museum number: M.334-1940 (part of the Victoria & Albert Museum museum group)

  2. 760

    va_36.jpg
    600 x 820 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular central panel; bead-on-fillet edging; wickerwork Garden of Holland (Hollandse Tuin) within which is seated a berobed female figure holding a cap of freedom on the end of a long pole; before her is the crowned heraldic lion of the States General of the Netherlands, clutching a sheaf of arrows in its left front paw; above are the words, Pro Patria; arched rectangular boreder with fillet edging, and foliage draped from the top; on top, a pomegranate to which ascends a serpent on each side, with a further pomegranate on each shoulder of the plate.

    Notes: An overtly patriotic theme with symbols of Dutch nationhood.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: PRO PATRIA

    Manufactured: in the mid- to late-17th century in the Siegerland area of Germany.

    Current location: Victoria & Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, Kensington & Chelsea, Greater London, England.

    Museum number: M.1411-1926 (part of the Victoria & Albert Museum museum group)

  3. 776

    va_51.jpg
    470 x 540 mm

    Description: Stove-plate; poss. fragment; rectangular; flanged edging on top and sides; pictorial scene illustrating the biblical tale of Joshua and the five kings.

    Notes: Joshua 10.

    Manufactured: in the mid- to late-16th century possibly in the Eifel area of Germany.

    Current location: Victoria & Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, Kensington & Chelsea, Greater London, England.

    Museum number: 289.1923 (part of the Victoria & Albert Museum museum group)

  4. 777

    va_52.jpg
    400 x 600 mm

    Description: Rectangular; cavetto-moulding within a flanged edge; floriate arch above a female figure with a child in her left arm and another by her right side, initials split by the group; below a simulated rope-twist fillet, elaborate floriate cartouche containing the word, CHARITAS.

    Notes: A late stove-plate, illustrated in von den Driesch p.484.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: G S / CHARITAS

    Manufactured: in the late-17th century in the Siegerland area of Germany.

    Current location: Victoria & Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, Kensington & Chelsea, Greater London, England.

    Museum number: 890.1901 (part of the Victoria & Albert Museum museum group)

    Citation: Driesch, K. von den , 1990, Handbuch der Ofen-, Kamin- und Takenplatten im Rheinland (Cologne, Rheinland-Verlag).

  5. 1274

    va_53a.jpg
    315 x 615 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular central panel with bead edging; image of two helmeted men in 17th century dress, on a ground, carrying a huge bunch of grapes slung from a pole between them, behind are vine leaves; the initials located below the top corners; arched rectangular border, fillet edging, containing vine leaves and grapes; above, symmetrical swirling foliage descending from a scallop shell; bottom of the image obscured by corrosion damage.

    Notes: The scene, drawn from the Old Testament, represents Joshua and Caleb carrying the bunch of grapes from the valley of Eshcol in the land of Canaan, back to Moses and the children of Israel (Numbers 13: 23-4); a popular subject on a variety of media in the period.

    Inscription: I N

    Manufactured: in the mid- to late-17th century possibly in the Siegerland area of Germany.

    Current location: Victoria and Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, Kensington and Chelsea, London, England.

    Museum number: M.372-1912 (part of the Victoria & Albert Museum museum group)

  6. 1140

    va_58.jpg
    610 x 660 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shape with arch on top; rebated fillet edging; below mirrored putti holding crossed fronds, the figure of St George slaying the dragon; on each side a flame-topped column.

    Notes: The central panel of what would otherwise have been a typical bordered fireback intended for the Dutch market.

    Manufactured: in the mid- to late-17th century in the Siegerland area of Germany.

    Current location: Victoria & Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, Kensington & Chelsea, London, England.

    Museum number: 797-1899 (part of the Victoria & Albert Museum museum group)

  7. 1273

    von_den_driesch_01.jpg
    790 x 1110 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular central panel with bead on fillet edging, pictorial scene of Hercules standing, right arm akimbo and left hand holding a club that rests on his shoulder; to his right the allegorical female figure of Virtue, clothed and resting her left hand on Hercules's right shoulder; to his left the female allegorical figure of Volupta, the pair symbolising the 'crossroads' where Hercules has to decide which path in life to take; below them the text VIRTUS HERCULES VOLUPTA; above, seated above clouds, Jupiter surveys the scene, the word IVPITER below; arched rectangular border with fillet edging, from a central bunch of grapes at the top of the arch, a ribbon on each side suspends bunches of fruit and flowers; at the bottom a central cartouche containing the inscription 'L7G', with flowers on each side;; on top are two mirrored dolphins, their tails covering a bunch of grapes.

    Notes: The pictorial scene is loosely based on a painting c.1636-7 by Nicholas Poussin. The inscription at the bottom indicates the style of border; other firebacks with the same inscription have the same border; similar inscriptions (e.g. L6C and L8G) indicate different borders. Image from von den Driesch (p. 512).

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: IVPITER / VIRTVS HERCVLES VOLVPTA / L7C

    Manufactured: in the mid- to late-17th century in the Siegerland area of Germany.

    Current location:, not known.

    Citation: Driesch, K. von den , 1990, Handbuch der Ofen-, Kamin- und Takenplatten im Rheinland (Cologne, Rheinland-Verlag).

  8. 784

    west_hoathly, upper pendent.jpg
    796 x 1133 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular centrel panel with bead on fillet edging; central seated female with an infant in her arms, a swan at her feet and a standing child on each side, the one to her left facing the front and holding aloft a flaming heart, its foot on a ball; the child to her right facing the back, holding aloft a branch in its left hand, all on a ground with a tree behind to the right; arched rectangular border with bead edging; fructal and floral festoons suspended on ribbons with two putti at the top and two on each side; at the bottom, a central cartouche with illegible date, between floral swags; on top, twin spirals between descending floral festoons.

    Notes: The group is an allegory of Charity. A recasting.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Manufactured: in the mid-17th century in the Siegerland area of Germany.

    Current location: in private hands, West Hoathly, West Sussex, England.

  9. 612

    westland_ltd 9794 840x1190.jpg
    840 x 1190 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular central panel with astragal edging; allegorical figure of Peace, her right arm raised and her left hand holding an olive branch, standing amid the weapons of war; above her swags of drapery and fruit enclosing the word, PAX; arched rectangular shaped border with ovolo-moulded egg and dart edging; top centre, lion's face from which issue festoons of fruit and leaves which descend down each side, suspended from rings; at the bottom, a motto scroll bearing the date; on top, the face of a putto between two descending fish.

    Notes: A more-than-usually elaborate border to a typical central panel.

    Inscription: PAX / 16 63

    Manufactured: in 1663 in the Siegerland area of Germany.

    Current location:, not known.

  10. 1289

    wilkinsons,_doncaster,_25_feb_2024_lot_606_690x1000.jpg
    690 x 1000 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular central panel with additional arch above; bead edging; pictorial scene of Solomon, rising seated on a scallop-backed, canopied throne, greeting the Queen of Sheba, with other figures in attendance; identical shaped border with cavetto-moulded edging; a vase on top with descending swags of drapery; at the sides, festoons of flowers suspended from ribbon bows; at the bottom, a central cartouche between fruit bunches; on top, a bunch of three flowers with an ascending serpent on each side, and a bunch pf fl;owers on each shoulder of the plate.

    Notes: Several contemporary paintings are of similar scenes; this design may have been derived from a Dutch engraving of a drawing by an anonymous French artist after Maarten van Heemskerck. Close observation shows that the scene depicted, and some other decorative elements, are different to those on a similar fireback, no. 489. Wilkinsons auction, Doncaster, 25 Mar 2024, lot 606 (£200).

    Manufactured: in the mid- to late-17th century in the Siegerland area of Germany.

    Current location: not known.