Firebacks

Edging: none

80 results

  1. 115

    hastings_005.jpg
    660 x 405 mm

    Description: Plain rectangular plate with cross formed of a single length of twisted rope placed twice.

    Notes: Despite the simple form, the likely Christian symbolism is very evident. Formerly part of the Ade Collection (from Grove Hill, Hellingly, Sussex).

    Manufactured: in the 16th century in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Hastings Museum and Art Gallery, John's Place, Bohemia Road, Hastings, East Sussex, England.

    Museum number: HASMG: 1952.51.17 (part of the Hastings Museum museum group)

  2. 166

    hastings_049.jpg
    910 x 450 mm

    Description: Rectangular; plain plate with three stamps of an iron firedog with a twisted design on the neck, a primitive face on the terminal and a shield bearing initials RW.

    Notes: The letters RW are said to relate to Richard Woodman, ironmaster and Protestant martyr, who resided at Cralle Place, and who operated Cralle furnace. A near-identical firedog was discovered at Bridge Cottage, Uckfield, Sussex.

    Inscription: RW

    Manufactured: in the mid 16th century probably at Cralle Furnace, Warbleton in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Hastings Museum and Art Gallery, John's Place, Bohemia Road, Hastings, East Sussex, England.

    Museum number: HASMG: 1909.94 (part of the Hastings Museum museum group)

    Citation: Butterfield, W. R., 1916, 'Old Wealden Firebacks', The Connoisseur, 46, pp. 197-209.

    Citation: Easton, T. & Hodgkinson, J. S., 2013, 'Apotropaic Symbols on Cast-Iron Firebacks', Jnl. of the Antique Metalware Soc., 21, pp. 14-33.

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

  3. 174

    hastings_061.jpg
    1219 x 495 mm

    Description: Rectangular; plain plate with central crossed-square rope pattern with crosses at the corner and top; on each side a rectangular stamp with swirled tendril, serpent and demi-cup decoration.

    Notes: The crossed square was an alchemistic symbol for iron vitriol (i.e. ferrous sulphate or copperas), but the crosses at the extremities may indicate other symbolism or none; similar patterns are found on other firebacks of a group that may have been associated with Pounsley furnace, Sussex. The repeated panel at the top appears to have been formed using a mould for a section of a plasterwork frieze, resulting in an intaglio impression (approx 395 x 142mm or 15½ x 5½ in.) as opposed to the normal bas-relief; this is very unusual on a fireback. The style of the mould dates from the Elizabethan or Jacobean period. The stubs on the bottom edge are likely to have been the remains of runners where the molten iron entered the mould. Recovered from a property in Burwash, Sussex, in 1910.

    Manufactured: in the late 16th to early 17th century possibly at Pounsley Furnace, Framfield in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Hastings Museum and Art Gallery, John's Place, Bohemia Road, Hastings, East Sussex, England.

    Museum number: HASMG: 1910.26.1 (part of the Hastings Museum museum group)

    Citation: Baines, J. M., 1958, Wealden Firebacks (Hastings Museum).

    Citation: Easton, T. & Hodgkinson, J. S., 2013, 'Apotropaic Symbols on Cast-Iron Firebacks', Jnl. of the Antique Metalware Soc., 21, pp. 14-33.

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

  4. 152

    hastings_museum_035a.jpg
    826 x 559 mm

    Description: Rectangular; plain plate; on top, twice repeated stamp probably formed of a section of cresting with a row of seven ?fleurs-de-lys above a diagonal grid of squares, each with a small raised square in the middle, and a horizontal astragal border below; between the cresting, a stamp of indeterminate form and design; below, four repeated hexagonal stamps, each divided into triangles by raised lines, two under each cresting stamp; between them, a stamp of indeterminate form and design, possibly the same as the one above it; below, probably six double crosses flory, with a flower head stamp between each group of three; along the bottom, two crosses flory, three hexagon stamps and two other stamps of indeterminate form and design (though different from those described above), arranged asymetrically.

    Notes: A crude and poorly executed casting. Butterfield (1916) illustrated this fireback the other way up, and that is how it was displayed in Hastings Museum when it was photographed in the early 2000s. The orientation of this fireback has been reconsidered and the greater relative wear and heat corrosion of the smaller individual stamps suggests that the cresting was originally at the top of the fireback and not the bottom.

    Manufactured: in the mid 16th century in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Hastings Museum and Art Gallery, John's Place, Bohemia Road, Hastings, East Sussex, England.

    Museum number: HASMG: 1911.60.8 (part of the Hastings Museum museum group)

    Citation: Butterfield, W. R., 1916, 'Old Wealden Firebacks', The Connoisseur, 46, pp. 197-209.

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

  5. 1127

    heathfield,_best demolition 914x762x.jpg
    914 x 762 mm

    Description: Plain rectangle; no edging; top centre, date between two six-pointed stars.

    Notes: Characteristic of the last firebacks cast at Ashburnham Furnace, Sussex. One of a small series of firebacks cast in the early-19th century for farms on the Ashburnham estate.

    Inscription: * 1812 *

    Manufactured: in 1812 at Ashburnham Furnace in the Weald area of England.

    Current location:, not known.

  6. 922

    heathfield,_manor farm 02.jpg
    830 x 485 mm

    Description: Rectangular; no edging; arrangement of eight fleur de lys stamps formed of, at top centre, four in a cross shape, with two in line on each side; on each side of the cross arrangement is a naked standing putto stamp.

    Notes: The putti are an unusual addition to what is a quite crudely decorated fireback

    Manufactured: in the late 16th century in the Weald area of England.

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

  7. 1233

    hook_915x605.jpg
    915 x 605 mm

    Description: Rectangular shape; no edging; upper centre, initials 'HI'; lower centre, date '1795'.

    Notes: Simple design with bold, well-carved characters.

    Inscription: H I / 1795

    Manufactured: in 1795 in England.

    Current location: not known.

  8. 330

    horsham_museum 08.jpg
    920 x 610 mm

    Description: Rectangular; plain edge; top centre, ring between repeated lion's head between repeated narrow human figure with folded arms standing on a bracket; below each figure, a small bracket.

    Notes: The figures are indistinct and are disproportionately small for the size of the firebacks; from Isfield Place 1921.

    Manufactured: in the late 19th to early 20th century in England.

    Current location: Horsham Museum, Causeway, Horsham, West Sussex, England.

    (part of the Horsham Museum museum group)

  9. 331

    horsham_museum 09.jpg
    1052 x 588 mm

    Description: Rectangular; no edging; inscription evenly spaced along top, sans serif lettering.

    Inscription: IS D T IS

    Manufactured: in the late 19th to early 20th century in England.

    Current location: Horsham Museum, Causeway, Horsham, West Sussex, England.

    (part of the Horsham Museum museum group)

  10. 951

    horsted_keynes, broadhurst 02.jpg
    1105 x 720 mm

    Description: Rectangular; central shield; fleur-de-lys stamp repeated three times across top and once on each side level with shield, all regularly spaced.

    Notes: It is likely that the arms relate to the marriage, in 1541, of Christopher Sackville (c.1519-1559), son of John Sackville of Chiddingly, Sussex, and Constance Colepeper, daughter of Thomas Colepeper of Bedgebury, Kent, one of whose ancestors was the heiress, Elizabeth Hardreshull. The blazon: Sackville - quarterly or and gules, a bend vair; Colepeper - argent a bend engrailed gules; Hardreshull - argent a chevron sable between nine martlets gules, six and three. Christopher Sackville's brother, Sir Richard, owned Horsted Keynes furnace, which may have been where this fireback was cast. A candidate for the earliest English fireback with an example of personal arms.

    Arms: Sackville impaling Colepeper and Hardreshall

    Manufactured: in the mid 16th century possibly at Horsted Keynes Furnace in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: in private hands, Horsted Keynes, West Sussex, England.