-
1115
Description: Fragment; canted rectangular; twisted rope edging (topand sides); central cross of twisted rope.
Notes: Sections missing at both ends.
- Decoration tags:
- canted rectangular (shape)
- rope (edging)
- simple stamps
- apotropaic
- objects
Manufactured: in the 16th century in the Weald area of England.
Current location: in private hands, Crowborough, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Rope design firebacks
-
169
Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and sides); inscription made of short lengths of twisted rope, irregularly spaced across upper middle, central device formed of a Tudor 'A' with overstamped 'V'.
Notes: It is not clear if the central device is a monogram, or if it might have apotropaic significance.
Inscription: T A M T
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- rope (edging)
- simple stamps
- apotropaic
- text
- objects
Manufactured: in the early to 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: 1911.60.7 (part of the Hastings Museum museum group)
Citation: Page, S. & Wallace, M. (eds.), 2018, Spellbound (Oxford, Ashmolean Museum), p. 72.
- Attached to series:
- Rope design firebacks
- Initials only firebacks
-
374
Description: Quasi-rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and sides); a length of twisted rope stamped six times to form a saltire and two crosses across the width of the plate; surplus iron extends from all sides.
Notes: The surplus iron resulted from over filling of the mould. The crosses are likely to have Christian significance. Formerly part of the J. H. Every collection.
- Decoration tags:
- sub-rectangular (shape)
- rope (edging)
- simple stamps
- apotropaic
- objects
Manufactured: in the mid to late 16th century in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Anne of Cleves House, Southover High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, England.
Museum number: 1944.24.037 (part of the Sussex Archaeological Society museum group)
Citation: Hughes, G. B., May 1940, 'Old English Firebacks', Apollo, 31, 185, pp. 117-120.
- Attached to series:
- Rope design firebacks
-
407
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.
Notes: The fireback has been incorrectly dated 1550 instead of 1650, which Schubert, following W. R. Lethaby, asserted was a forgery claiming indications that a ‘6’ had been erased. Undoubtedly the '6' is more prominent than the other figures though the exact method by which it has been substituted is not clear. Corrosion to the bottom right corner may have obliterated a letter 'M' seen on another casting; presumably part of 'IM'.
Inscription: 1550
- Decoration tags:
- quasi-arched rectangular (shape)
- cavetto (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- individual numbers
- pictorial
- mythological
- text
- animals
Manufactured: in 1650 possibly at Brede Furnace in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Anne of Cleves House, Southover High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, England.
Museum number: LH000.901 (part of the Sussex Archaeological Society museum group)
Citation: Dawson, C., 1903, 'Sussex Iron Work and Pottery', Sussex Archaeological Collections, 46, pp. 1-54.
Citation: Gardner, J. S., 1898, 'Iron Casting in the Weald', Archaeologia, 56, 1, pp. 133-164.
Citation: Lethaby, W. R., 1 Oct 1926, 'English Cast Iron - I', The Builder, 131, no. 4365, pp. 537-8.
Citation: Schubert, H. R., 1957, 'A Forgery in Iron', Journal of the Iron & Steel Institute, 165, p. 125.
- Attached to series:
- Hooked '1' series
- Loop edged firebacks
- Brede group
- IM series
-
598
Description: Rectangular with fillet edging; central, oval panel with fillet edging containing the semi-reclining, begowned figure of Cleopatra, a mirror/sceptre in her right hand and an asp in her left hand; oval border with astragal and fillet edging and undulating foliage; in each of the top spandrels, a face of a putto; in the bottom spandrels, a triangular design of swirled foliage; at the centre of each side, overlapping the central oval border, an oval cartouche with scrolls in the inward facing side; four horizontal plank lines regularly spaced.
Notes: The naivety of the figuration and the similarity of the scrolled designs suggest that this may be the work of the same pattern-maker as the Lenard fireback. Either of two tapestries of the death of Cleopatra after Karel van Mander II (1579-1623), one made for the Swedish royal court, may be the inspiration for this fireback.
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- fillet (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- planklines
- pictorial
- historical
- humans
Manufactured: in the mid 17th century in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Mark Ripley Forge & Fireplaces, Northbridge Street, Robertsbridge, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Brede group
-
607
Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and sides only); eight shields of Ayloffe impaling Sulyard in three rows, 3-2-3; Ayloffe: sable, a lion rampant Or, collared gules, between three crosses formy of the second; Sulyard: argent, a chevron gules between three pheons inverted sable.
Notes: William Ayloffe (c1535-1584) of Hornchurch, Essex, Justice of the Court of Queen’s Bench, married (c1560) Jane, dau. of Sir Eustace Sulyard, of Runwell, Essex.
Arms: Ayloffe impaling Sulyard (William Ayloffe of Bretons, Hornchurch)
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- rope (edging)
- carved stamps
- armorial
Manufactured: in the early 17th century in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Mark Ripley Forge & Fireplaces, Northbridge Street, Robertsbridge, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Ayloffe series
- Personal armorial firebacks
-
608
Description: Rectangular; ovolo-moulded edging (top and sides); shield of the Worshipful Company of Masons: Sable, on a chevron, engrailed argent between 3 castles of the second, with doors and windows of the field, a pair of compasses extended of the first; above, the letter ‘C’, the letters ‘H’ and ‘M’ split by the shield.
Notes: The arms of the Masons’ Company were granted in 1473. Sold at Christie's Masters and Maker auction, 30 November 2010, lot 523 (£500).
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: HCM [triad]
Arms: Worshipful Company of Masons
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- ovolo (edging)
- carved stamps
- individual letters
- armorial
- text
Manufactured: in the early 17th century possibly in the Weald area of England.
Current location:, England.
- Attached to series:
- Livery company firebacks
-
640
Description: Rectangular; ovolo-moulded edging (top and sides); repeated guilloche pattern inside top and side edges; upper centre, lozenge stamp with ovolo edges and recessed daisy flower in centre, between buckle stamps repeated twice.
Notes: The lozenge stamp is a design also seen on domestic interior panelling; the buckles suggest a Pelham family association; the buckle and lozenge are separate stamps, and in each example their relative positions differ slightly; the guilloche design appears to have been carved on the base panel; an example at The Star Inn, Alfriston, Sussex measures 665mm x 480mm.
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- ovolo (edging)
- carved stamps
- carved pattern panels
- heraldic
- objects
Manufactured: in the early to mid 17th century in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Mark Ripley Forge & Fireplaces, Northbridge Street, Robertsbridge, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Pelham family firebacks
- Pelham buckle and lozenge series
- Metalware stamp firebacks
-
675
Description: Quasi-arched rectangular shape; fillet edging; centre, fluted flower vase containing a variety of flowers, with a plant growing on each side, all within an arched rectangular bead-and-pellet border with looped top corners; on each side, a festoon of bell flowers, with a putto blowing a trumpet above; over each of their heads a single rose; top centre, a sunburst; bottom, an animal’s face between mirrored swirled foliage.
Notes: One of a small group of firebacks with similar outlines.
Copies of this fireback are known.
- Decoration tags:
- quasi-arched rectangular (shape)
- none (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- pictorial
- humans
- plants
- objects
Manufactured: in the early to mid 18th century in England.
Current location: Saffron Walden Museum, Saffron Walden, Essex, England.
Museum number: 1897-03 (part of the Saffron Walden Museum museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Late pictorial series (all)
- Late pictorial series 6
-
690
Description: Canted rectangle; plain edges; broad horizontal fillet dividing the plate in two just above the side angles, with vertical fillets to top corners enclosing date and initials.
Notes: Uncharacteristically crude for the period.
Inscription: IS / 16 60
- Decoration tags:
- canted rectangular (shape)
- none (edging)
- simple stamps
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- text
Manufactured: in 1660 in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Smallhythe Place, Small Hythe Road, Tenterden, Kent, England.
Museum number: 1117951 (part of the National Trust museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Date & initials firebacks