Firebacks

615mm tall

  1. 1110

    crowborough,_luxford house 01.jpg
    >685 x 615 mm

    Description: Fragment; canted rectangular shape; twisted rope edging (top and sides); top right (i.e. probably top centre), unidentified (apparently inverted) ornamental capital letter 'T'; top left, a triple-loop fleur stamp; between, rose and crown.

    Notes: Probably slightly more than half of the original fireback, with stamps also seen on another, commonly copied, fireback. It might reasonably be supposed that the missing half may have also included an ornamental letter, companion to the surviving example. Formerly at Bentley, Halland, Sussex.

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

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

    Citation: Fitt, H. F., 1931, 'Queries: Sussex Iron, II', Sussex Notes and Queries, 3, 8, p. 255.

  2. 363

    lamberhurst,_scotney castle 06.jpg
    750 x 615 mm
    Image subject to copyright

    Description: Arched rectangular shaped, the arch linked to the rectangle by cavetto curves; cavetto edging ending in two opposed spirals at top; initials below spirals; date below initials; otherwise plain.

    Notes: Probably cast from a carved, edged board, with the initials and date added separately.

    Inscription: I or F H / 1698

    Manufactured: in 1698 in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Scotney Castle, Lamberhurst, Kent, England.

    Museum number: NT/SCO/oc/M/202 (part of the National Trust museum group)

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

  3. 461

    lewes,_sussex arch soc 103.jpg
    690 x 615 mm
    Image subject to copyright

    Description: Canted rectangle; twisted rope edging; irregularly spaced, 5 x 5 rope grid; damage to top right corner.

    Notes: A 5 x 3 variant is also known.

    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: 1944.24.046 (part of the Sussex Archaeological Society museum group)

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

  4. 587

    plaxtol,_tree house.jpg
    1070 x 615 mm

    Description: Quasi-rectangular; grooved dowel edging (top and sides); four impressions of a rondel dagger (c.330mm) saltirewise between two dowel crosses; two vertical lengths of dowel in line along right edge.

    Notes: Rondel daggers were common in the 15th and 16th century. Grooved lengths of dowel are to be seen on other firebacks suggesting a common source. The arrangement of the daggers (each approx. 35cm long) in a saltire may also have apotropaic significance.

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

    Current location: in private hands, Plaxtol, Kent, England.

    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).

  5. 961

    titsey_place 02.jpg
    915 x 615 mm

    Description: Rectangular; ogee-moulded edging on top and side edges; symmetrical layout of date and initials; date split between left and right sides, initials in centre, arranged in triad.

    Notes: One of a series of backs dating to the 1730s and 40s using very similar sets of letters and numerals.

    Inscription: 17 I M I 34

    Manufactured: in 1734 in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: in private hands, Titsey, Surrey, England.