Firebacks

  1. 1041

    west_hoathly, manor house 01.jpg
    1185 x 705 mm

    Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and upper three-quarters of sides); central Tudor shield, garter, crown and supporters (greyhound and lion), formed from separate stamps; date on a single stamp in top left corner.

    Notes: This is an early example of a fireback being used as a pattern, with the addition of a subsequent date. The same stamps forming the arms can also be seen on other firebacks. The extension of the lower part of the ‘3’ on the date stamp suggests that the numbers may have been fixed to the backing block, rather than the date being carved as a whole. Another variant of this fireback has the rope edging extending further down the sides.

    Inscription: 1583 / HONE SOVT qVEY MAL Y PENSE

    Arms: Tudor royal (prob. Henry VIII)

    Manufactured: in 1583 in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: in private hands, West Hoathly, West Sussex, England.