Firebacks

Manufactured in Germany

131 results

  1. 565

    folkestone_museum.jpg
    414 x 855 mm

    Description: Rectangular; flanged edging; small guilloche pattern down each side and along the bottom; upper panel, pictorial scene of the Marriage at Cana; lower panel, inscription panel within a strapwork cartouche with flowers below.

    Notes: An end stove plate with a popular scene from the New Testament - John 2.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: 16 H 38

    Manufactured: in 1638 possibly in the Siegerland area of Germany.

    Current location: Folkestone Library and Heritage Centre, Grace Street, Folkestone, Kent, England.

    (part of the Folkestone Library and Heritage Centre museum group)

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

  2. 936

    fortuna_haringhuizen_475x705.jpg
    475 x 705 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular central panel with triple bead and pellet edging; semi-naked figure of Fortune, holding in her hands a billowing sheet, and standing on a ground; arched rectangular fillet border enclosing suspended swagged flowers and berries (top and sides), with indeterminate foliage on the bottom on either side of an empty cartouche; on top, symmetrical wsirled foliage.

    Notes: The design is derived from an engraving by Aegidius Sadeler after a painting by Christoph Schwarz of about 1580-1600. Although not marked as such, other castings of this fireback are marked with the initials, GK, and dated to 1700.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Manufactured: in the early 18th century possibly in the Siegerland area of Germany.

    Current location: in private hands Haringhuizen, Netherlands.

    Citation: Elling, W. & Winkler-Borck, S., 1992, Ofen- und Kaminplatten (Vreden, Hamaland-Museum).

  3. 71

    godalming_museum 02.jpg
    450 x >296 mm

    Description: Fragment; upper half of an arched rectangular shaped fireback; fillet edging; divided into two halves; left half - naked female figure of Truth holding scales in right hand, surrounded by motto ribbon bearing the text: HET IS V EEN SCHADE DAT TROVE IS LICHTER DAN EEN PLV; right half - naked female figure of Vigilance, a bird seated on her right hand, and with two dogs on leads held in her left hand, surrounded by a motto ribbon bearing the text: ICH IAGE OM DIE VINDEN OFT ICH TROVE KONDE VINDEN; initials between scales; date divided by cross of an orb forming the centre of the four intended panels.

    Notes: The complete fireback has four figures (clockwise from top left) representing Truth, Vigilance (both naked), Indifference and Perfidy (both clothed).

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: SG 1598 HET IS V EEN SCHADE DAT TROVE IS LICHTER DAN EEN PLV / ICH IAGE OM DIE VINDEN OFT ICH TROVE KONDE VINDEN

    Manufactured: in 1598 possibly in the Lorraine area of Germany.

    Current location: Godalming Museum, Godalming, Surrey, England.

    Museum number: B980.407 (part of the Godalming Museum museum group)

    Citation: Seewaldt, P. v., 1988, Herdgussplatten: Katalog der Herdgussplatten des Rheinischen Landesmuseums Trier (Trier, Rheinisches Landesmuseum).

  4. 576

    greenwich,_national maritime museum 01.jpg
    684 x 732 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shape; stepped fillet edging; in the arch, two putti holding a wreath from which hang two swags of drapery which, passing through rings in each top corner of the plate, terminate in large tassels comprising fruit and flowers, which reach nearly to the bottom of the plate; at the bottom, the date in a central cartouche surmounted by a scallop shell, between the two initials.

    Notes: The space in the middle of the plate is available for further decoration.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: G / 1687 / S

    Manufactured: in 1687 possibly in the Siegerland area of Germany.

    Current location: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, England.

    Museum number: AAA3478 (part of the National Maritime Museum museum group)

  5. 83

    guildford_08a.jpg
    580 x 840 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shaped central panel, bead-and-pellet edging, semi-naked male figure, wearing a floral head-dress and carrying a basket of produce, initials in top corners; arched rectangular shaped border, fillet edging, symmetrical festoons of foliage, floral scrolls at base, date in an oval cartouche; on top, two putti, two dolphins and scrolled foliage, all symmetrical.

    Notes: An allegory of Spring, based closely on an engraving, dated 1600, by Hendrik Goltzius (1558-1617); one of a series of large firebacks of similar date, all bearing the initials, GK.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: G K / 1700

    Manufactured: in 1700 possibly in the Siegerland area of Germany.

    Current location: Guildford Museum, Guildford, Surrey, England.

    Museum number: S,7111 (part of the Guildford Museum museum group)

    Citation: Pesch, D., 1982, Herdgussplatten (Rheinland-Verlag, Koln).

  6. 1239

    hamaland_museum_01.jpg
    755 x 1010 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular central panel with bead-on-fillet edging; pictorial scene of Jesus sitting at the well with the woman of Samaria standing opposite, a rural scene behind, trees on each side and clouds with sunrays above; arched rectangular border with fillet edging; central cartouche at top, with festoons of fruit, flowers and leaves suspended on each side from ribbons supported by rings; at the bottom, swirled ribbon around an oval compartment bearing the inscription 'L6C'; on top, a central cartouche from which descend a cornucopia on each side of the arch.

    Notes: The scene, seen on many German firebacks and stoveplates, is from St John's gospel, chapter 4; the inscription at the bottom indicates the style of border; other firebacks with the same inscription have the same border; similar inscriptions (e.g. L7C and L8G) indicate different borders.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: L6C

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

    Current location: in private hands Vreden, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany.

    Citation: Elling, W. & Winkler-Borck, S., 1992, Ofen- und Kaminplatten (Vreden, Hamaland-Museum).

  7. 308

    hampton_court 08.jpg
    700 x 1000 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 fillet edging; at the top of the arch a cartouche from which are suspended two ribbons, each held by a putto, from which cascade flowers and fruit, each lower part hung from a ring; two putti are on each side, one climbing on the suspended ribbon, the other at its foot; at the bottom, a cartouche containing the monogram between two clusters of flowers each suspended on a ribbon tied to a scroll; on top, two descending cornucopiae.

    Notes: The scene portrays Charity; the same central panel can be seen with different borders, and also exists in other versions.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: HIS

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

    Current location: Hampton Court Palace, Richmond, Greater London, England.

    Museum number: 1069 (part of the Royal Collection museum group)

  8. 310

    hampton_court 10.jpg
    858 x 1196 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular central panel with bead edging; pictorial scene of Venus, naked and kneeling, and Adonis, standing, holding a spear in his left hand, with Cupid to the left, and a hound and a quiver of arrows below to the right; arched rectangular border with fillet edging; descending swags of fruit and seashells enclosing the central panel; inscription in an oval cartouche at the bottom; on top, a Holy Roman Imperial crown between two mirrored dolphins, heads downward.

    Notes: The scene is based on the painting (c.1635) of Venus and Adonis by Peter Paul Rubens; the initials, L8G, denote the style of border - other firebacks having the same inscription have the same border - and other borders are denoted by similar inscriptions (e.g. L6C and L7C). Von den Driesch (p.520) illustrates the same central image within an L7C border.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: L8G

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

    Current location: Hampton Court Palace, Richmond, Greater London, England.

    Museum number: 1042 (part of the Royal Collection museum group)

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

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

  9. 97

    handcross,_nymans 02.jpg
    852 x 1175 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shaped central panel with bead edging; naked figure of Mercury/Hermes with winged helmet (petasos), holding a snake-entwined staff (caduceus); he is sitting astride a pair of bellows and blowing a straight trumpet; a twice-bent trumpet lies at his feet; the bellows are pumping air into an organ; to the right of his head is the word, AER (air - Latin); above is a swag of drapery; arched rectangular shaped border with ovolo edging; floral wreath at top with suspended swags of fruit and leaves, including, grapes, pomegranates and apples; inscription, ‘ANNO 1661’, on a scroll at the bottom; scallop shell and sea serpents on top.

    Notes: One of a series of firebacks symbolising the four elements.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: AER / ANNO 1667

    Manufactured: in 1667 possibly in the Siegerland area of Germany.

    Current location: Nymans, Staplefield Road, Handcross, Slaugham, West Sussex, England.

    Museum number: 1206008 (part of the National Trust museum group)

  10. 103

    haslemere_museum 01.jpg
    320 x 250 mm

    Description: Rectangular; flanged or astragal and fillett edging; female portrait in a medallion of three concentric rings; date split between four corners

    Notes: An unusually small stoveplate.

    Inscription: 1 6 [?0] 4

    Manufactured: in 1604 possibly in the Eifel area of Germany.

    Current location: Haslemere Educational Museum, Haslemere, Surrey, England.

    (part of the Haslemere Educational Museum museum group)