Firebacks

Description: Fragment; to the left, rectangular panel with braid edging, vine standard with six bunches of grapes and a cluster at the top; to the right, rectangular panel with wide fillet edging, arched recess with three flower heads in low relief, and in the arch spandrels four 'bullseye' motifs comprising concentric rings deepening towards the centre; on top, a semi-circular panel with fillet edging, within which are the date between the initials, with scattered small rings, below is a pattern of eight linked circles; vestige of another semi-circular panel to the left.

Notes: Potentially a fragment of a large fireback, the vestige of a second semi-circular arched panel on top offers the possibility that several other panels originally existed further to the right. The two surviving panels combine elements from two separate sub-groups of firebacks that were moulded from individual, interchangeable panels, indicating that the sub-groups originated from a common source.

Inscription: I 1598 R