Firebacks

Description: Arched rectangular shape; cavetto moulded edging; top centre within arch, initials above date.

Notes: Plain elegant fireback from a late series, probably cast in the south east of England. The crack emanating from the top right corner of the fireback seems to be a weakness on all the recorded examples, and may have caused by thinness of the base board at that point.

Inscription: R.R / 1857

Description: Rectangular with a square projection middle top; castellated top edging; top centre, stylised Calvary; upper section: pictorial scene, centre, house with tiled roof, windows, and chimney at each end, paths leading from house; left, possible forge building with four chimneys and three water wheels, and adjacent furnace stack?; above, shed with lean-to, barrow, and wheel structure, all between trees; right, figure of a man running towards the house, unidentified objects between trees; lower section: plain panel with central triple-grooved horizontal line.

Notes: A striking and unusual fireback with a scene suggesting a connection with iron-making. Formerly part of the J. H. Every collection.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Description: Fragment; left part only; this fireback comprises at least four separate elements: the rectangular central panel has an anchor with coiled rope between two fleurs de lys, below which are two roses; the rectangular side panels each comprise a vertical stem with six ‘grape bunches’ surmounted by a circular grape cluster; above, a semicircular arch contains the initials between two roses as in the central panel, with the date above; where the arch meets the central panel there is an arc across each corner. The side and top panels are edged with simulated twisted rope; to the left and botoom, a plain extension has been added before casting.

Notes: One of an unusual series formed from separate panels. The left panel is likely to have been repeated in the missing section. The extensions to the side and bottom will be unique to this casting which, because of the sharpness of the relief detail, is probably an early example. Because of its date and the use of the anchor motif, this much-copied plate is often referred to as the Armada fireback. No other connection with the sea battle is known. Other firebacks have been cast using some of the separate elements described.

Inscription: 1588 / IFC

Description: Arched rectangular shape; ovolo moulded edging; Tudor royal shield, garter, crown, motto and supporters (crowned lion and dragon); plain panels at sides and bottom.

Notes: A common variant has a rose and portcullis either side of the crown, and the top of the lion's crown and the dragon's ear do not overlap the edging; without the extension panels, the approximate dimensions of the main plate are 805mm wide by 590 high. The quality of the relief indicates that this composite fireback was created using an early casting of the armorial back.

Inscription: [Garter] HONI SOIT QVI MAL E PENSE / [motto] DIEV ET MON DROIT

Arms: Tudor royal