Firebacks

890mm tall

  1. 940

    hennell_03b.jpg
    780 x 890 mm

    Description: Upon a rectangular base plinth, wide scrolled side fillets with foliage about the scrolls and suspended bell flowers in chain above; central oval shield bearing three fleurs-de-lys supported by an angel on each side, and surmounted by a French royal crown; on top, an arch rising from horizontal moulding on each side.

    Notes: Characteristic of designs illustrated by architects such as Daniel Marot.

    Arms: France Royal

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

    Current location:, not known.

  2. 479

    maidstone_museum 10.jpg
    610 x 890 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular central panel with bead-and-pellet edging; on a ground between two plants, a gadrooned flower vase with two, scrolled handles, tulips and other flowers issuing from the narrow neck; arched rectangular border with fillet edging; mirrored descending flower swags; along a rectangular bottom panel with fillet edging a symmetrical arrangement of swirled foliage; on top, two mirrored sea serpents.

    Notes: The presence of tulips suggest a Dutch origin for the pattern of this fireback, although the presence of several examples in England suggest that it was produced here rather than on the Continent.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Manufactured: in the late-17th century in England.

    Current location: Maidstone Museum, St Faith's Street, Maidstone, Kent, England.

    (part of the Maidstone Museum museum group)

  3. 701

    tiverton_castle 01.jpg
    780 x 890 mm

    Description: Arched, rectangular central panel with fillet edging; figure of Abundance holding a sickle and a Horn of Plenty, a child, also holding a sickle, to the right, a seated dog to the left, framed by trees; fillet-edged border with a plant pot each side, lilies issuing therefrom; above an oval shield of arms, a grotesque face above, supported by two lions.

    Notes: Abundance was one of many allegorical figures to feature in the Iconologia, first published by Cesare Ripa in 1593. The style of the fireback derives from those produced in the Siegenland of NW Germany for the Dutch market, but this example may be a pastiche produced for the French market.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Manufactured: in the late-17th to early-18th century possibly in the Lorraine area of France.

    Current location: Tiverton Castle, Tiverton, Devon, England.

  4. 736

    va_12.jpg
    1030 x 890 mm

    Description: Other examples indicate that 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; this arrangement is repeated alongside; the two rectangular side panels each comprise a vertical stem with six ‘raspberries’ surmounted by a circular berry 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; on the rectangular base panel, on a stippled ground, is a central six-pointed star and a four-strand root system beneath each of the stems in the side panels. The top and sides panels are edged with simulated twisted rope.

    Notes: One of an unusual series formed from separate panels arranged, in this instance, with each vertical panel repeated. 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 above. The bottom panel which, unlike the other panels is separately edged with twisted rope, is likely to have been an addition to a copy of an earlier casting (no. 822) and not original.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: 1588 / IFC

    Manufactured: in 1588 in the Weald area of England.

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

    Museum number: M.77-1957 (part of the Victoria & Albert Museum museum group)

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

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

    Citation: Lloyd, N., 1925, 'Domestic Ironwork I', Architectural Review, 58, pp. 58-67.

  5. 755

    va_31.jpg
    660 x ~890 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular central panel with bead-and-pellet edging; on a ground between two plants, a fluted flower vase with two, scrolled handles, tulips and other flowers issuing from the narrow neck; arched rectangular border with fillet edging; mirrored descending flower swags; along a rectangular bottom panel with fillet edging a symmetrical arrangement of swirled foliage; narrow, curved shouldered side panels with beads in oval depressions; on top, two mirrored sea serpents.

    Notes: The presence of tulips suggest a Dutch origin for the pattern of this fireback, although the presence of several examples in England suggest that it was produced here rather than on the Continent; this is the smaller of two versions of this fireback.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Manufactured: in the late-17th century in England.

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

    Museum number: 41.1896 (part of the Victoria & Albert Museum museum group)