Firebacks

Description: Arched rectangular shaped central panel with bead edging; arched rectangular border with bead edging; fructal and floral festoons suspended on ribbons with two putti at the top and two on each side; in the left and right bottom corners, the initials 'HH' and 'S' respectively; at the bottom, a central cartouche with date (indistinctly), between floral swags; on top, twin spirals between descending floral festoons.

Notes: A border panel, without the central pictorial panel.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: HH S

Description: Arched rectangular shape; ovolo-moulded edging; shield, Garter, crowned helm and mantling of the English royal arms to 1603 with crowned lion and griffon supporters standing on separate rectangular cartouches containing the word 'ANNO' and the date '1662'; above the mantling are the initials 'I R'

Notes: The date appears to have been altered from 1602. The initials 'I R' for Jacobus Rex (James I of England) are inappropriate for the date in both its original and its altered form; also the griffon supporter on the sinister side is incorrect, a dragon being correct for the arms of Elizabeth I in 1602. There is a vertical plankline left of centre.

Inscription: I R / HONI SOIT QVI MAL I PENSE / ANNO 1662

Arms: English Tudor royal

Description: Arched rectangular shape cut away with symmetrical concave curves; ovolo moulding (top and sides); shield, helmet, crest and mantling of the family of Baker, of Mayfield, quartered with Farnden, of Sedlescombe: Quarterly, 1st and 4th, Argent, a tower between three keys erect sable (Baker); 2nd and 3rd, Purpure, a chevron vairy Or and gules, between three leopards’ faces Or (Farnden). Crest (Baker): on a tower sable an arm embowed in mail holding in the hand a flint-stone proper.

Notes: A carved armorial on a plain, edged base board; John Baker (1644-1723) married Ruth, daughter and co-heiress of Peter Farnden, in 1663; she died in 1691, thereafter the arms of Baker quartered those of Farnden; the arms of Farnden had been granted in 1634. The armorial design has been inadequately pressed into the sand bed.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Arms: Baker, of Mayfield, quartering Farnden, of Sedlescombe

Description: Arched rectangular shape; ovolo moulded edging; date in arch; below arch two parallel, vertical straps, each with a buckle at the top; initials left and right of centre; roughly symmetrical arrangement of four stamps repeated: rectangular stamp with deer three times down centre, one outside each buckle and one beyond each strap end; circular food mould stamp outside centre of each strap, beyond stag stamp outside buckle and at edge beyond strap end; 'rabbit' stamp at edge beyond food mould stamp outside each buckle and outside each strap end; rectangular stamp with 'dog' outside each initial and six times below strap ends.

Notes: The buckles suggest a connection with the Pelham family; the initials may relate to Sir Thomas Pelham, Bt. (1597-1654) who owned and operated ironworks at Waldron in Sussex. From the drawing the seven 'deer' stamps appear to be the same as those seen on two other examples of this fireback. The food mould stamp (centre left and right) appears to be one seen repeated on at least one other fireback. Drawing of a fireback at Huggetts Farm, Waldron, Sussex, by Edward Hughes, of Heathfield, Sussex; J. Starkie Gardner collection, Victoria & Albert Museum, Archive of Art and Design (AAD/2014/8).

Inscription: 1642 / T P

Description: Rectangular with complex quasi-arched rectangular top; ovolo moulded edging; shield with Royal arms of France in a swirled cartouche, initials IT top centre; above, an English crown; below to right and left, a prancing stag.

Notes: The combination of the English crown and French arms is common and may relate to the marriage of Charles I and Princess Henrietta Maria of France in 1625; although the framing of the pattern is very similar to others of the same basic design, the style suggests a different pattern maker. A variant of an otherwise identical fireback, with the addition of the date and initials. Bonhams sale, Chester, 25 July 2013, lot 257.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: IT / 16 [?]1

Arms: France modern

Description: Arched rectangular shaped; ovolo-moulded edging (top and sides); central stamp of a carved bracket figure of a bearded man in a loincloth and cap; rhyme in capitals across rectangular plate, letters carved on strips, split by figure.

Notes: The twin miseries of a smoky house and a scolding wife are mentioned several times in literature. The dress of the figure suggests work as a miner, possibly linking this back with the Forest of Dean. Variants with initials and dates are also known.

Inscription: FROM ·A·-·SMOKY ·LIFE·/ AND·A SCOVL DING·WIFE·/ALL MEN THAT-DOE·ME·SE/ TAKE·PETIE- AND·DELIVER ME

Description: Arched rectangular shape; ovolo-moulded edging; Tudor royal shield, garter, crown, motto and supporters (crowned lion and dragon); Tudor rose to right of lion’s head, portcullis to left of dragon’s head; temp. Elizabeth I.

Notes: Three versions of this fireback are known, with differing edging and one without the rose and portcullis.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: [Garter] HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE / [motto] DIEV ET MON DROIT.

Arms: Tudor royal

Description: Arched rectangular shape; ovolo moulded edging; date in arch; below arch two parallel, vertical straps, each with a buckle at the top; initials left and right of centre; rectangular stamp with bird, four times across top; larger rectangular stamp with unidentified animal, twice below initials.

Notes: The buckles suggest a connection with the Pelham family; the initials may relate to Sir Thomas Pelham, Bt. (1597-1654) who owned and operated ironworks at Waldron in Sussex. This is one of a few examples of a copy of a casting of the original pattern to which additional stamps had been added. Formerly part of the Ade Collection (from Grove Hill, Hellingly, Sussex).

Inscription: 1642 / T P

Description: Rectangular with an arched rectangular style arch linked by symmetrical concave curves; ovolo moulding (top and sides); shield, helm, crest and mantling of the Fuller family. A number 7, the only visible part of the date seen on other castings is in the top right corner of the shield.

Notes: A carved armorial on a plain, edged base board; the arms of the Fullers of Brightling Park, Sussex: Argent, three bars and a canton gules; the crest; Out of a ducal coronet Or, a lion’s head argent; the Fullers were iron masters and gun founders in the first half of the 18th century, operating Heathfield furnace, where it is likely that this fireback was cast.

Inscription: [1] 7 / [4] [7]

Arms: Fuller, of Brightling, Sussex

Description: Quasi-arched rectangular shape; ovolo-moulded edging; fluid curving, double ovolo arch with a pair of putti holding looped ribbons; a lion rampant holding a cartouche, between two pilasters, each surmounted by a dragon’s head.

Notes: A simple decorative device has replaced the customary allegorical or classical scene.

Copies of this fireback are known.