Firebacks

Description: Rectangular with two-stepped top; double astragal edging on sides; top centre, stamp formed of a talbot statant guardant upon a wreath; date split either side of crest; initials below date, ‘+’ below letters.

Notes: The talbot crest is seen on other firebacks indicating a common source.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: 16 22 / I + H

Description: Arched rectangular shaped; fillet edging; a lion rampant

Notes: Whole pattern. A modern design of fireback

Copies of this fireback are known.

Description: Arched rectangular shape; ovolo-moulded edging; Tudor royal shield, garter, crown, motto and supporters (crowned lion and dragon); Tudor rose to right of lion’s head, portcullis to left of dragon’s head; temp. Elizabeth I.

Notes: Three versions of this fireback are known, with differing edging and one without the rose and portcullis.

Copies of this fireback are known.

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

Arms: Tudor royal

Description: Arched rectangular shape; ovolo-moulded edge; Tudor royal shield, crown, garter and supporters (dragon and greyhound). Crowned rose on left, and crowned portcullis (grid of 16) on right side of crown; the supporters stand on a horizontal fillet; date panel with ovolo-moulding on top, central putto face splitting two parts of date with faces of putti in profile at each end.

Notes: Arms are of Edward VI. A very clear casting, almost certainly from the original pattern. There are several firebacks with the Tudor royal arms that were probably produced in the Spanish Netherlands, perhaps illustrating the association between England and Spain through the marriage of Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon. The firebacks differ in several small details, such as the form and rotation of the Garter motto, the style of the crown, the positioning of the supporters in relation to the Garter, and the form and size of the crowned rose and portcullis.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: HONI SOIT QVI MAL I PENSE / 15 48

Arms: Tudor royal Edward VI

Description: Canted rectangle; twisted rope edging (top and sides); quasi-symmetrical arrangement of four fleurs-de-lys in star, top centre, two fleurs each side along top edge, single fleurs beneath outer top fleurs; short rope length in vertical and inverted 'V' shapes each side between top fleurs; ?dagger handle irregularly positioned centre left and right.

Notes: The style and shape of the fleurs-de-lys is unique to a particular series of firebacks, suggesting the same source; the 'V' shapes may have apotropaic significance. A sketch of this fireback c.1891 is in the collection of J. Starkie Gardner's sketch books at the Victoria and Albert Museum, Archive of Art and Design (AAD/2014/8); at the time of drawing it was stated to be in the ownership of one Simmons, a furniture dealer of Lewes.

Description: Rectangular; rope edge (top and sides); rose and crown within a shield, stamped twice, both inverted, down centre; rectangular stamp with griffin, twice, in top corners.

Notes: Five other firebacks bearing these stamps are known: one is also in Hastings, and one, dated 1569, is at Hadlow Down, Sussex. The locations of the other three are not known. Formerly part of the Ade Collection (from Grove Hill, Hellingly, Sussex).

Description: Rectangular; cyma recta (ogee) moulded edging (top and sides); fleur-de-lys stamp repeated three times across the upper part of the plate; a long pastry mould stamped between each pair of fleurs; above the central fleur, a small stamp, over-pressed, bearing FL below a coronet; above the right fleur, a small stamp, over-pressed, bearing a fish embowed.

Notes: The food moulds are variations of others used in the same series.

Inscription: FL

Description: Arched rectangular shape; cavetto edging; three ostrich feathers issuing from a royal coronet; motto banner below.

Notes: The badge of the Prince of Wales; perhaps cast during the Commonwealth period; a variant at Rottingdean Grange has pattern-maker's initials.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: ICH [DIEN]

Description: Arched rectangular shape; ovolo-moulded edging with inverted fleur-de-lys at top; lion passant guardant, with rose to the left and thistle above tail; date split between legs; single horizontal plank-line.

Notes: The boldness of the figuration suggests association with firebacks possibly cast at Brede Furnace in the same period.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: 1 6 5 6

Description: Canted rectangle; twisted rope edging (top and sides); divided by rope lengths into four panels: centre top, square; centre bottom, trapezium; sides, irregular hexagons; buckle stamp repeated three times, in bottom and side panels; top centre panel, circular flower stamp with fleur de lys on each petal.

Notes: The buckle stamps suggest a connection with the Pelham family; illustrated in Butterfield 1916, where it was stated to have been in a house at Herstmonceux, Sussex..