Firebacks

In the National Trust museum group

126 results

  1. 313

    handcross,_nymans 08.jpg
    1150 x 780 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shape; cavetto moulded edging; date top centre within arch.

    Notes: Plain elegant fireback from a late series, probably cast in the south east of England. The crack emanating from the top right corner of the fireback seems to be a weakness on all the recorded examples, and may have caused by thinness of the base board at that point.

    Inscription: 1853

    Manufactured: in 1853 in England.

    Current location: Nymans, Staplefield Road, Handcross, Slaugham, West Sussex, England.

    (part of the National Trust museum group)

  2. 190

    hawkshead,_hill top.jpg
    760 x 840 mm

    Description: Arched rectangle; bevelled edge to arch and top of shoulders; initials at centre top of arch, in triangle 'S' at top; date below initials.

    Notes: Possibly the work of David Robertson (1716-93), the King's Smith, whose iron grates are commonly to be found in houses designed by the prominent Scottish architects, Robert, John and James Adam, of whom he was a kinsman; the form of the plate is typical of grate-backs Robertson made in a variety of sizes, notably at Dumfries House, Ayrshire, although the lack of evidence of fixings suggest that this may have been made to be free-standing. Until 1756/7 Robertson had his forge in a tenement in Niddery's Wynd, Edinburgh, between High Street and Cow Gate, next door to John Adam's premises, although it is not known if he had a foundry there.

    Inscription: S / W A / 1745

    Manufactured: in 1745 possibly in the Edinburgh area of Scotland.

    Current location: Hill Top, Sawrey, Hawkshead, Hawkshead, Cumbria, England.

    Museum number: 641831 (part of the National Trust museum group)

    Citation: Hodgkinson, J. S., 2010, British Cast-Iron Firebacks of the 16th to Mid-18th Centuries (Crawley, Hodgers Books).

  3. 191

    helston,_godolphin house 01.jpg
    770 x 640 mm

    Description: Arched rectangle; cavetto moulded edging; Tudor royal shield, Garter and crown, with crowned lion and dragon supporters; motto along bottom; Tudor rose to left of crown, portcullis to right.

    Notes: This painted fireback is reputed to have been a gift from King Henry VIII to the second Sir William Godolphin, who was present at the Siege of Boulogne in 1544 with a party of Godolphin tin miners.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: HONI SOIT QVI MAL E PENSE / DIEU ET MON DROIT

    Arms: Tudor royal (Elizabeth I)

    Manufactured: in the mid to late 16th century possibly in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Godolphin House, Helston, Cornwall, England.

    Museum number: 169480 (part of the National Trust museum group)

    Citation: Hodgkinson, J. S., 2010, British Cast-Iron Firebacks of the 16th to Mid-18th Centuries (Crawley, Hodgers Books).

  4. 192

    helston,_godolphin house 02.jpg
    910 x 520 mm

    Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and sides); irregular arrangement of four stamps in three rows: face mask with ?crown and ruff (3), flower head with four petals and leaflets (4), fleur de lys (5), and profile of a head with 'Roman' crest (2); initials replace stamps in top corners.

    Notes: A larger variant, undated and with other initials but the same four stamps, is also known.

    Inscription: TBI I•A•1•6•1•8 / TA S

    Manufactured: in 1618 possibly in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Godolphin House, Helston, Cornwall, England.

    Museum number: 169481 (part of the National Trust museum group)

    Citation: Hodgkinson, J. S., 2010, British Cast-Iron Firebacks of the 16th to Mid-18th Centuries (Crawley, Hodgers Books).

  5. 323

    higher_bockhampton, hardys cottage.jpg
    ?1000 x ?700 mm

    Description: Canted rectangle; simulated rope edging; otherwise plain.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Manufactured: in the mid 20th century in England.

    Current location: Hardy's Cottage, Higher Bockhampton, Dorset, England.

    Museum number: 426390 (part of the National Trust museum group)

  6. 1271

    holy_island,_lindisfarne_castle.jpg
    1105 x 695 mm

    Description: Rectangular shape; twisted rope edging (top and sides only); central initials, WS, in different character sets, between split date, also in different numeral sets, with a rectangular floral patera repeated at each end; below, and at a slight incline to the right, a horizontal twisted rope dividing the plate. The '5' of the date has been stamped in reverse.

    Notes: A boldly cast fireback with disparate character styles. Probably acquired for the castle in the early-20th century during its refurbishment for Edward Hudson by Edwin Lutyens.

    Inscription: 1 6 W S 7 5 [5 reversed]

    Manufactured: in 1675 in England.

    Current location: Lindisfarne Castle, Holy Island, Northumberland, England.

    Museum number: 511616 (part of the National Trust museum group)

  7. 347

    ightham_mote  06.jpg
    1195 x 688 mm

    Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and 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: The worn appearance of the central arms, compared with the clarity of the date, suggests that 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 only three-quarters of the way down the sides.

    Inscription: 1583

    Arms: Tudor royal

    Manufactured: in 1583 in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Ightham Mote, Ightham, Kent, England.

    Museum number: 825358 (part of the National Trust museum group)

    Citation: Hodgkinson, J. S., 2010, British Cast-Iron Firebacks of the 16th to Mid-18th Centuries (Crawley, Hodgers Books).

  8. 343

    ightham_mote 02.jpg
    860 x 695 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shape; no edging; initials evenly spaced around arch; date split between top corners.

    Inscription: W S / 18 24

    Manufactured: in 1824 in England.

    Current location: Ightham Mote, Ightham, Kent, England.

    Museum number: 825375 (part of the National Trust museum group)

  9. 344

    ightham_mote 03.jpg
    560 x 810 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular central panel, with bead-and-pellet edging; pictorial, standing female figure in classical dress, facing to the left, holding a snake in her right hand, a bunch of flowers at lower left; the initials located in bottom corners; arched rectangular border, fillet edging, containing swirled foliage, with a putto in the top corners; on top, two perched bird facing each other, with swirled foliage descending behind them.

    Notes: The figure is of Sapientia, or Wisdom, based closely on an engraving, one of a set entitled 'The Virtues' by Hendrik Goltzius c.1593; a small number of firebacks bear the initials, GK; it is not known to whom they refer, but dated ones are of 1700.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: G K

    Manufactured: in the early 18th century in the Siegerland area of Germany.

    Current location: Ightham Mote, Ightham, Kent, England.

    Museum number: 825381 (part of the National Trust museum group)

  10. 345

    ightham_mote 04.jpg
    945 x 680 mm

    Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and sides); from top, crowned Tudor royal shield (stamp overpressed) above crowned shield bearing initials, KH in Lombardic lettering, above a fleur de lys (stamp overpressed); to left, diagonal lion passant guardant sinister; to right, diagonal lion passant; at base, single 'imp' figure, arms to side, moving left but facing right, between two pairs of 'imp' figures (separately stamped), one moving left, right arm raised, the other moving right, right arm raised.

    Notes: One of the 'Royal' series.

    Arms: Tudor royal arms of England

    Manufactured: in the mid 16th century in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Ightham Mote, Ightham, Kent, England.

    Museum number: 825393 (part of the National Trust museum group)

    Citation: Hodgkinson, J. S., 2010, British Cast-Iron Firebacks of the 16th to Mid-18th Centuries (Crawley, Hodgers Books).

    Citation: Hodgkinson, J. S., 2022, 'A Tudor Fireback Stamp: the progressive deterioration of its condition as evidence of the relative age of castings', Journal of the Antique Metalware Society, 27, pp. 42-5.