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542
Description: Arched rectangular central panel with canted top corners and bead-on-fillet edging; elaborate central cartouche containing the double-headed eagle of the Holy Roman Emperor supported by male and female figures standing on a compartment with fillet edging, containing scrolled foliage and a central fleur-d-lys; above the central cartouche, the imperial crown and swagged drapery; arched rectangular border with canted top corners and cavetto-moulded edging; symmetrical arrangement of traceried foliage; on top, central oval casket with a serpent descending on each side of the arch to a further similar casket on each shoulder of the plate.
Notes: A variation of the standard 'Dutch' style of fireback.
Manufactured: in the mid- to late-17th century possibly in the Siegerland area of Germany.
Current location: Petworth House, Petworth, West Sussex, England.
Museum number: NT/PET/M/97 (part of the National Trust museum group)
- Attached to series:
- 'Dutch' Miscellaneous Firebacks
- Foreign armorial firebacks
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543
Description: Arched rectangular centrel panel with bead on fillet edging; pictorial scene of a seated naked female with two clothed male figures behind; in front is a pool with a fountain to the right, and platform with a vase of flowers to the left; behind, an archway and a tree; arched rectangular border with fillet edging; at the top of the arch a cartouche from which are suspended two ribbons, each held by a putto, from which cascade flowers and fruit, each lower part hung from a ring; two putti are on each side, one climbing on the suspended ribbon, the other at its foot; at the bottom, a cartouche containing the monogram between two clusters of flowers each suspended on a ribbon tied to a scroll; on top, two descending cornucopiae.
Notes: The scene is of Susanna and the Elders from the biblical Apocrypha.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: HIS
Manufactured: in the mid- to late-17th century in the Siegerland area of Germany.
Current location: Petworth House, Petworth, West Sussex, England.
Museum number: NT/PET/M/98 (part of the National Trust museum group)
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544
Description: Arched rectangular central panel with bead on fillet edging, pictorial representation of a man and woman walking, behind the woman a child holds her train and a young person carries a parasol; from behind a column on the right, a horse's head is visible, a tree stands to the left; arched rectabular border with cavetto-moulded edging; top centre, scallop shell from which descend undulating leaf fronds; on top, a pomegranate to which ascends a serpent on each side, with a further pomegranate on each shoulder of the plate.
Notes: The pictorial scene is based on an engraving c.1642 of Friedrich Wilhelm, Elector of Brandenburg, and his wife, Luise Henriette of Oranje-Nassau, by Mathias Czwiczek; one of series of firebacks depicting allegories of the four continents.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: EVROPA
- Decoration tags:
- 'Dutch' (shape)
- cavetto (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- pictorial
- humans
Manufactured: in the mid- to late-17th century in the Siegerland area of Germany.
Current location: Petworth House, Petworth, West Sussex, England.
Museum number: NT/PET/M/99 (part of the National Trust museum group)
- Attached to series:
- 'Dutch' Miscellaneous Firebacks
- 'Dutch' Continents firebacks
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523
Description: Arched rectangular shape; cavetto-moulded edging; figure in mid-17th century armour, sword in belt, riding a prancing horse; initials split, below corners of arch, in front of horse’s head and behind rider’s back.
Notes: Probably intended to represent Charles I in memoriam, as other firebacks in this style date from the end of the Commonwealth period.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: [C missing] R
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with round arch (shape)
- cavetto (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- pictorial
- text
- animals
- humans
Manufactured: in the mid-17th century in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Petworth House, Petworth, West Sussex, England.
Museum number: NT/PET/M/77 (part of the National Trust museum group)
Citation: Baines, J. M., 1958, Wealden Firebacks (Hastings Museum).
Citation: Lloyd, N., 1925, 'Domestic Ironwork I', Architectural Review, 58, pp. 58-67.
- Attached to series:
- Small cavetto series
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532
Description: Arched rectangular shaped with narrow shoulders; fillet edging; date in individual numerals across arch.
Notes: A smaller version is different in the spacing of the numerals and the proportions of the plate.
Inscription: 1658
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with round arch (shape)
- rope (edging)
- carved stamps
- individual numbers
- text
Manufactured: in 1658 possibly in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Petworth House, Petworth, West Sussex, England.
Museum number: NT/PET/M/85 (part of the National Trust museum group)
- Attached to series:
- 1658 arched series
- Date only firebacks
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538
Description: Arched rectangular shape; fillet edging; blank arched rectangular central panel with rebated fillet edging; on top, above a cone of laurel leaves, a crown supported by two putti, each holding a plant stem; on each side, a flower and fruit festoon suspended on a ribbon from a ring; at the bottom , inscription on a scroll.
Notes: A border panel, usually incorporated with a separate pictorial central panel.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: [...]O 1695
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with round arch (shape)
- fillet (edging)
- carved pattern panels
- text
- humans
- plants
- objects
Manufactured: in 1695 in the Siegerland area of Germany.
Current location: Petworth House, Petworth, Kent, England.
Museum number: NT/PET/M/93 (part of the National Trust museum group)
- Attached to series:
- 'Dutch' Border only firebacks
- 'Dutch' 1695 Crown series
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583
Description: Arch-shaped, with rounded-arched extension at top; cavetto moulded edge all round; five vertical planklines; arms of the Francis (or Franceis) family of Derbyshire: Argent a Chevron gules between three Eagles displayed of the same; Crest: an eagle displayed on a crowned knight’s helm; initials in bottom corners; date below shield.
Notes: Probably the arms of Sir Edward Francis, who was Seneschal of the Petworth House estate and took overall charge in 1606 when the 9th Earl of Northumberland was committed to the Tower of London for his alledged involvement in the Gunpowder Plot.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: E 1606 F
Arms: Sir Edward Francis
- Decoration tags:
- arched with arch above (shape)
- cavetto (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- planklines
- armorial
- text
Manufactured: in 1606 probably at Frith Furnace, Northchapel in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Petworth House, Petworth, West Sussex, England.
Museum number: NT/PET/M/41.1 (part of the National Trust museum group)
Citation: Gardner, J. S., 1898, 'Iron Casting in the Weald', Archaeologia, 56, 1, pp. 133-164.
- Attached to series:
- Personal armorial firebacks
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584
Description: Of unique design; quasi-arched rectangular shape; ribbon border, curled on each side of the neck. Symmetrical arrangement of plant tendrils with acorns, oak leaves, pomegranates and other leaves across the rectangular base; above and centrally placed are the date, over which are the initials either side of a crescent moon, surmounted by an earl’s coronet.
Notes: The initials, H N, are thought to refer to Henry, 9th Earl of Northumberland, and the date to his release from the Tower of London following his 17 years’ imprisonment for alleged involvement in the Gunpowder Plot.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: H N / 1622
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with round arch (shape)
- complex individual (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- heraldic
- text
- plants
Manufactured: in 1622 probably at Frith Furnace, Northchapel in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Petworth House, Petworth, West Sussex, England.
Museum number: 485698 (part of the National Trust museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Personal firebacks
- Petworth lettering series
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585
Description: Central arched rectangular shape formed of fluted Ionic pilasters supporting a rounded arch, with fillet edging, bearing the date between two flower heads; beneath is a fouled anchor within a circlet of rope gathered into eight loops; a phoenix, its wings displayed and inverted, rises from the flames above the rope; mirrored outside each pilaster, a crouching, naked faun, facing inwards, disgorges a vine with bunches of grapes; above each faun a volute forms the top corner of the plate.
Notes: The decorative elements of this fireback have yet to be fully interpreted; the vines disgorged from the mouths of the fauns are related to the 'green man' tradition associated with woodland spirits and symbolising resurrection, the latter echoed by the phoenix, though in the form in which they appear on this fireback they may be a purely decorative device. By contrast, the cabled anchor is the badge of the Lord High Admiral who, in 1608, was Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham (previously Lord Howard of Effingham). A pastiche of this fireback, dated 1633, is also known (no. 1064).
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: 1608
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with canted top corners and round arch (shape)
- fillet (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- pictorial
- mythological
- text
- humans
- plants
- objects
Manufactured: in 1608 in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Petworth House, Petworth, West Sussex, England.
Museum number: NT/L/PET/M/117.1 (part of the National Trust museum group)
Citation: Lloyd, N., 1925, 'Domestic Ironwork I', Architectural Review, 58, pp. 58-67.
- Attached to series:
- Miscellaneous pattern firebacks
- Phoenix firebacks
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589
Description: Double arched rectangular shaped; ovolo edging; central clock dial with Roman numerals separated by stops, sunburst inside, single hand with fleur de lys pointer; teardrop weights suspended from each side; symmetrical tendrils above.
Notes: One of the ‘hooked 1’ series of firebacks - the number ‘1’ is just discernable bottom left; two versions exist of this fireback, the other having finials above the suspended weights.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: I · II · III · IIII · V · VI · VII · VIII · IX · X · XI · XII / 16...
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with round arch (shape)
- ovolo (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- text
- objects
Manufactured: in the mid-17th century possibly at Brede Furnace in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Ham House, Richmond, Surrey, England.
Museum number: 1139737 (part of the National Trust museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Hooked '1' series
- Brede group