Firebacks

Description: Rectangular with ‘pediment’ arch linked by cavetto curves; fillet and cavetto edging; pictorial, a cylindrical furnace with inscribed stone courses, flames issuing from the top, with the heads of three people, a hand raised from two of them, and an angel with wings and arms outstretched; the furnace has a small arched opening bottom centre; above the angel, the inscription was inscribed on the pattern.

Notes: The scene represents Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego being delivered from the burning fiery furnace by the angel of God (Daniel 3), the phrase, The Three Children, being a reference to the eponymous apocryphal verses from the Book of Daniel. Formerly at Brightling Hall, Robertsbridge, Sussex.

Inscription: THE THREE CHILDREN

Description: Arched rectangle; cavetto moulded edging; Tudor royal shield, Garter and crown, with crowned lion and dragon supporters; motto along bottom; Tudor rose to left of crown, portcullis to right.

Notes: This painted fireback is reputed to have been a gift from King Henry VIII to the second Sir William Godolphin, who was present at the Siege of Boulogne in 1544 with a party of Godolphin tin miners.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: HONI SOIT QVI MAL E PENSE / DIEU ET MON DROIT

Arms: Tudor royal (Elizabeth I)

Description: Arched rectangular shape; cavetto-moulded edging (top and sides); English Stuart Royal arms, garter, supporters, crown and motto; altered date above crown.

Notes: This design, which probably dates from 1619, has been used to cast composite firebacks with a variety of altered dates ranging from 1629 to 1662.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: 1639 [illegible Garter and royal mottoes]

Arms: English Stuart royal

Description: Arched rectangular shape; cavetto moulded edging; top centre within arch, initials above date.

Notes: Plain elegant fireback from a late series, probably cast in the south east of England. The crack emanating from the top right corner of the fireback seems to be a weakness on all the recorded examples, and may have caused by thinness of the base board at that point.

Inscription: TW / 1852

Description: Arched shape; cavetto moulded edge; double-headed eagle displayed, a crown above; in front, a quartered shield.

Notes: The shield bears the arms of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (reigned 1519-1556), king of Spain and nephew of Katherine of Aragon, Queen of England.

Arms: Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor

Description: Quasi-arched rectangular shaped; unique, cavetto moulded edging, which loops upon itself three times. A mythical salamander shown in the flames which legend states it is able to resist; behind is what appears to be a palm tree, on either side of which the date is stamped. Two plank-lines.

Notes: Whole pattern with added date; one of a series of firebacks where the number ‘1’ is hooked at both ends. Damage and subsequent repair to the bottom right corner has obliterated a letter 'M' seen on another casting; presumably part of 'IM'. A variant, at Lewes, is incorrectly dated 1550.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: 1650

Description: Arched; cavetto-moulded edging; English royal Stuart shield, garter, crown, supporters, and motto on a cartouche; a monogram of S and C lies to the left of the Garter buckle; a small rose stamp is repeated each side of crown; date split each side of top of crown.

Notes: Although English arms, the design is in a continental style, arched firebacks being typical of Lorraine. In some later recastings the proportions have been distorted, making them narrower, and the '16' of the date is missing. The fireback illustrated was formerly in the city museum of Vlissingen in the Netherlands.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: 16 21 / HONI SOIT QVI MAL I PENSE / SC / DIEV ET MON DROIT

Arms: English Stuart royal (James I)

Description: Arched rectangular shape; ovolo edging; Stuart royal arms of England (quarterly, 1st and 4th, France and England, 2nd Scotland and 3rd Ireland) with garter, crown, motto and supporters; initials either side of lion’s head; date either side of unicorn’s head.

Notes: The slightly awkward positioning of the date suggests it was added later.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: I R [Iacobus Rex] 16 04 / DEV ET MON DROIT

Arms: English Stuart royal - James I

Description: Canted rectangle; cavetto-moulded edging (top and sides); single horizontal fillet below canted corners and vertical fillet parallel to each side, dividing the fireback into two side panels, two top corner panels, top panel and main central panel; corner panels, ‘daisy’ plant stamp; top panel, date between ‘daisy’ stamps, between initials in triad at each end; side panels, swirling foliage stamp repeated each side above a fleur-de-lys; centre panel, stamp of ‘Indian’ smoking a pipe at top left, stamp of seated ‘gentleman’ smoking a pipe and holding another, at top right; below each, a lion passant stamp, facing right on the left and facing left on the right; initials IB in bottom corners of centre panel.

Notes: The 'daisy' stamp is identical to those on similar firebacks dated between 1703 and 1721, and probably indicating the same founder whose initials IB are at the bottom; the use of stamps relating to tobacco smoking may suggest an origin near Bristol, the main entry port for the tobacco trade at that time. Previously noted at Little Faringdon House, near Lechlade. Bishop & Miller auction, Stowmarket, Suffolk, 25 May 2022, lot 293 (ns).

Inscription: TME [triad] 1706 TME [triad] / I B

Description: Rectangular; cavetto-moulded edging; [?]fillet frame parallel with edging; on top, central date between two groups of initials in triad, with six 'daisy heads' above; on each side, vertical line of at least four squared cross stamps; inside frame, four fleurs-de-lys between two oval 'buttons' on a rectangular base at least five 'daisy heads' in a vertical line on each side.

Notes: A significant fireback, it comprises decorative stamps from at least three series of firebacks produced in the Forest of Dean area, linking their production to the same ironworks. The same fireback (or copies thereof), with and without the attached grate, was illustrated in catalogues issued c1910-21 by Arthur Todhunter, architectural antiques dealer, of New York (catalogue #919, $50). Leland Little auction, Hillsborough, North Carolina, 3 Mar 2018, lot 260, $400.

Inscription: THM [triad] 1669 THM [triad]