-
58
Description: Arched rectangular shape; cavetto edging; a pheon (a downward-pointing arrow head barbed on the inner edge), the badge of the Sidneys, within a wreath, an earl’s coronet above; the date on either side of the coronet.
Notes: The badge is of the Sidneys, Earls of Leicester. The date is most likely to be 1626 as the Earldom was not conferred upon Robert Sidney until 1618 and he died in 1626. A recast plate.
Inscription: 16 [?]26
Arms: Badge of Sidney family, Earls of Leicester
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with round arch (shape)
- astragal (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- individual numbers
- heraldic
- text
Manufactured: in the early- to mid-17th century possibly at Robertsbridge Furnace, Salehurst in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Florence Court, Enniskillen, Fermanagh, Northern Ireland.
Museum number: 630836 (part of the National Trust museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Earl of Leicester series
- Personal firebacks
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923
Description: Rectangular; overlapping laurel leaf edging with flange on right edge; top, seated figure of a monarch with a casket at his left side and the back of a throne behind; centre, bust of a classical male figure facing to the right, surrounded by a circlet of overlapping laurel leaves; bottom, ornamental pedestal on a legged stand, floral fronds issuing from the top, between two flower heads, and descending symmetrically to the bottom.
Notes: Not a fireback, but a left side fireplace back plate. It had a circular aperture in the centre into which, in this instance, a medallion and bust were inserted, the same being inserted into an elaborate rococo fireback (no. 452).
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- overlapping laurel leaf (edging)
- carved stamps
- carved pattern panels
- biblical
- humans
- plants
Manufactured: in the early- to mid-18th century possibly at Robertsbridge Furnace, Salehurst in the Weald area of England.
Current location: in private hands, Heathfield, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Baroque series
- Fireplace back plates
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428
Description: Rectangular, with low curved top and stepped concave corners; suspended floral-chain border on top and sides; alternate small and large rings along the bottom; plain panel at base. Arms of Webster, baronet, of Battle: Azure, on a bend argent, cotised Or, between two demi-lions ermine, a rose gules, barbed and seeded proper, between two boars’ heads couped sable.
Notes: Sir Thomas Webster was created baronet in 1703; he was succeeded by his son, Whistler, in 1750. A pair of matching, cast-iron side plates form a set with this fireback.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Arms: Webster of Battle
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with canted top corners and round arch (shape)
- none (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- armorial
Manufactured: in the early-18th century possibly at Robertsbridge Furnace, Salehurst in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Barbican House, High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, England.
Museum number: 39.52/LH000.986 (part of the Sussex Archaeological Society museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Personal armorial firebacks
-
452
Description: Circular wreathed medallion, bearing the right-facing head of a man in classical dress, carried by two naked, kneeling male figures, between them a scallop shell; above the medallion a lion’s face surmounted by a flame; the medallion is surrounded by floral scrolls.
Notes: The wooden pattern would have had a circular aperture (the frame of which is just discernible) for the reception of the medallion; the same pattern was used to cast a fireback bearing the arms of George Worge, and the stamp of the profile was used on an accompanying fireplace side plate (no. 923).
- Decoration tags:
- baroque (shape)
- complex individual (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- pictorial
- humans
Manufactured: in the early- to mid-18th century possibly at Robertsbridge Furnace, Salehurst in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Anne of Cleves House, Southover High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, England.
Museum number: LH000.998 (part of the Sussex Archaeological Society museum group)
Citation: Dawson, C., 1903, 'Sussex Iron Work and Pottery', Sussex Archaeological Collections, 46, pp. 1-54.
- Attached to series:
- Baroque series
-
511
Description: Rectangular with semi-circular protrusions on the top and sides; cavetto edging; a pheon (a downward-pointing arrow head barbed on the inner edge), within a wreath, an earl’s coronet above; the date on either side of the coronet; the initials on left and right sides; a fleur de lys in each bottom corner.
Notes: The wreathed pheon and coronet are cast from a different pattern to the 1626 and 1630 plates.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: 16 47 / R L
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with round arch (shape)
- cavetto (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- planklines
- heraldic
- text
Manufactured: in 1647 possibly at Robertsbridge Furnace, Salehurst in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Penshurst Place, Penshurst, Kent, England.
- Attached to series:
- Earl of Leicester series
- Personal firebacks
-
757
Description: Oval armorial bearings carried by two naked, kneeling male figures, between them a scallop shell; above the shield a lion’s face surmounted by a crest of a lion’s head erased; the shield is surrounded by floral scrolls. The arms are of Worge impaling Collier: Worge - gules, a fess ermine, cotised argent, in chief three lion’s heads erased of the last; Collier - argent, on a chevron azure, between three unicorns courant couped gules, as many oak sprigs fructed proper.
Notes: George Worge (1705-65), of Starr’s Green, Battle, steward of the Battle Abbey estate, married Elizabeth Collier (d.1767) of Hastings in 1729. This deeply detailed fireback might have been cast in a closed mould; it had a circular aperture in the centre into which, in this instance, an armorial was placed; the same armorial is on a fireback, dated 1762, at Great Dixter, Northiam, Sussex.
Arms: Worge impaling Collier (George Worge)
- Decoration tags:
- baroque (shape)
- complex individual (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- pictorial
- armorial
- humans
Manufactured: in the early- to mid-18th century possibly at Robertsbridge Furnace, Salehurst in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Victoria & Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, Kensington & Chelsea, Greater London, England.
Museum number: 686.1899 (part of the Victoria & Albert Museum museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Baroque series
- Personal armorial firebacks
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588
Description: Arched rectangular shape with semi-circular protrusions at the sides; cavetto-moulded edging; a pheon (a downward-pointing arrow head barbed on the inner edge) within a wreath, an earl’s coronet above; the date on either side of the coronet; the initials on left and right sides; a fleur de lys in each bottom corner.
Notes: The detail of the wreath differs from that on the 1626 plate.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: 16 30 / R L
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with round arch (shape)
- cavetto (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- heraldic
- text
- objects
Manufactured: in 1630 possibly at Robertsbridge Furnace, Salehurst in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Winchester Museums Store, Unit F2, Bar End Industrial Estate, Winchester, Hampshire, Winchester, Hampshire, England.
Museum number: WINCM:LH 5704 (part of the Winchester Museums museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Earl of Leicester series
- Personal firebacks
- Date & initials firebacks