Firebacks

610mm tall

28 results

  1. 662

    rolvenden,_hole park 06.jpg
    910 x 610 mm

    Description: Rectangular; fillet edging (top and sides, except c.100mm at bottom of each side); arrangement of a circular butter print with fleur de lys design, repeated four times: one in each top corner, and two evenly spaced across the middle of the plate; a single circular butter print stamp with a heart-shaped design in the middle top position.

    Notes: The fleur de lys stamp can also be seen on a fireback at Nymans, Handcross (no. 96); one of the Pounsley series of firebacks.

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

    Current location: Hole Park, Rolvenden, Kent, England.

    Citation: Hodgkinson, J. S., 2012, 'Pre-Restoration Iron Firebacks', Journal of the Antique Metalware Society, 20, pp. 2-15.

  2. 1044

    salisbury,_anthony west.jpg
    600 x 610 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shape with sloped spandrels; stepped fillet-moulded edging; pictorial scene of a behatted woman and a girl standing behind a kneeling cloaked figure of a man wearing a pointed cap and holding an open book, with a cross above it; to the left a cottage with trees and ground; to the right the frame of a building.

    Notes: The scene is entitled 'Frère Luce', copied from an engraving by Nicolas Larmessin III (1656-1725), of a painting (now lost) by Nicolas Vleughels (1668-1737), from 'Suites d'Estampes Nouvelles pour les Contes de La Fontaine' (c.1736-43).

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Manufactured: in the mid to late 18th century in France.

    Current location: in private hands, not known.

    Citation: Carpentier, H., 1912, Plaques de Cheminées (Paris & Florange, published by the author).

  3. 1165

    trefriw,_gwydir_castle_03.jpg
    686 x 610 mm

    Description: Canted rectangular shape; braided rope edging (top and sides); top centre, initials 'TSE' in triad, above centred date.

    Notes: The use of braided rope edging is unusual. The fireback was formerly in a house in Westmoreland associated with the Salkeld family.

    Inscription: TSE [triad] / 1612

    Manufactured: in 1612 in England.

    Current location: Gwydir Castle, Trefriw, Conwy, Wales.

  4. 715

    unknown_16 bay hall, lincs 914x610.jpg
    914 x 610 mm

    Description: Rectangular with pediment arch; wide fillet edging rebated in side edge; upper centre, initials formed of individual letters; an unidentified series of shapes in relief in the top right corner may be thumb prints.

    Notes: The edging and letter ‘W’ are very similar to those on the ‘1589’ series of firebacks and may have the same origin. Formerly at Bay Hall, Benington, Lincolnshire.

    Inscription: WE

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

    Current location:, not known.

  5. 63

    unknown_45 380x610.jpg
    380 x >610 mm

    Description: 'Dutch' style; arched rectangular central panel, bead edging, a partially clothed female figure holding a wreath in her left hand and a bunch of flowers in her right hand, a circlet of cloth hanging from her right shoulder; arched rectangular shaped border with fillet edging and floral swags suspended; on top, flowers and swirled foliage.

    Notes: The figure is an allegorical representation of Agriculture, one of the Iconologia originally published by Cesare Ripa in 1613. A damaged recasting is in Farnham Museum. The 'W' initial probably denotes the pattern maker.

    Inscription: W

    Manufactured: in the late 17th to early 18th century in England.

    Current location: not known.

  6. 728

    va_03.jpg
    1140 x 610 mm

    Description: Quasi-rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and sides); across the centre, three crosses formed of the repeated stamping of a length of twisted rope.

    Notes: The edging appears to have been formed of the same length of rope. The crosses almost certainly have Christian significance.

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

    Current location: Victoria & Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, Kensington & Chelsea, Greater London, England.

    Museum number: 887.1901 (part of the Victoria & Albert Museum museum group)

  7. 729

    va_04.jpg
    920 x 610 mm

    Description: Rectangular; flanged edge; central pictorial panel illustrating Mordecai arriving before King Ahasuerus, Haman hanging from the gallows behind; two floral side panels, at the top of each a monogram within a cartouche: on the left KS, on the right H?D; plain extension panel at bottom.

    Notes: Stoveplate; the scene illustrates a scene from Esther 7: 10 and 8: 1.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: KS H[?]D

    Manufactured: in the late 16th to early 17th century possibly in the Eifel area of Germany.

    Current location: Victoria & Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, Kensington & Chelsea, Greater London, England.

    Museum number: M.112-1953 (part of the Victoria & Albert Museum museum group)

  8. 748

    va_24.jpg
    >585 x 610 mm

    Description: Fragment; right part only; canted rectangle; twisted rope edging; lion passant positioned vertically along right side; rose and crown stamp repeated twice (both over-pressed), each above an ‘imp’ figure with both arms lowered.

    Notes: A particularly clear casting; the right rear leg of the lion (missing on some variants of this series) has been replaced by a short length of twisted rope.

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

    Current location: Victoria & Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, Kensington & Chelsea, Greater London, England.

    Museum number: 897.1901 (part of the Victoria & Albert Museum museum group)

    Citation: Faraday, L., Feb 1939, 'Sussex Firebacks in the Victoria and Albert Museum', Sussex County Magazine, 13, 2, pp. 100-103.

    Citation: Hodgkinson, J. S., 2022, 'A Tudor Fireback Stamp: the progressive deterioration of its condition as evidence of the relative age of castings', Journal of the Antique Metalware Society, 27, pp. 42-5.