Firebacks

Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and sides); in the upper part of the plate, between a leopard passant guardant sinister (on the left) and a leopard passant (on the right), a domed roundel bearing an off-centre smaller roundel within an edged circular depression, repeated four times in diamond pattern, with the smaller roundels orientated towards the centre of the arrangement; in the top corners, two more domed roundels, their smaller roundels orientated towards the bottom of the plate.

Notes: The roundel stamp has not been noted on any other firebacks. One of the legs of the leopard on the left and both legs of the leopard on the right are missing, suggesting that the stamps, which appear complete on many firebacks, were well used and had been damaged; this suggests a relatively late use of these stamps. Gorringe's auction, Lewes, lot 82, 2 Aug 2021 (£170). Bishop & Miller Auctioneers, Stowmarket, 27 Jan 2022, lot 383 (£2,900).

Copies of this fireback are known.