Firebacks

Manufactured in the mid- to late-17th century

109 results

  1. 1078

    stoke-on-trent,_potteries museum.jpg
    648 x 838 mm

    Description: Fragment; quasi-arched rectangular shape; twisted rope or leather edging; flame on centre arch and on top corners (left missing); initials in triad above central shield with date split either side of centre; the bottom right corner is missing.

    Notes: The initials are of Philip Hollins (d. 1724) of Mosslee Hall, Cheddleton, Staffordshire, and his wife Elizabeth Bage whom he married in 1671. Blazon: Argent, a chevron azure, in chief four crosses formee fitchee of the second.

    Inscription: PHE [triad] / 16 71

    Arms: Hollins, of Mosslee Hall

    Manufactured: in 1671 possibly in the Staffordshire area of England.

    Current location: The Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, Bethesda Street, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England.

    Museum number: LH.SH.1955.21 (part of the Stoke-on-Trent Museums museum group)

    Citation: Dodd, A. E. & M. E., 1957, 'A Seventeenth Century Fireback', Trans. North Staffs Field Club, 90, pp. 39-40.

  2. 1087

    stratford_upon_avon_area.jpg
    ~540 x ~690 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shape; cavetto-moulded edging; central fouled anchor within a Garter surmounted by a ducal coronet; fructal swags to each side.

    Notes: The anchor may relate to the office of Lord High Admiral who, in the third quarter of the 17th century was James, Duke of York (afterwards King James II). Another example was sold at Christie's auction 12 Oct 2010 lot 109 (£500). A variant with a viscount's coronet is at Chastleton House, Oxfordshire.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE

    Manufactured: in the mid- to late-17th century in England.

    Current location: Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire, England.

  3. 704

    tiverton_castle 04.jpg
    770 x 1060 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular central panel with bead edging; pictorial figure of a winged child holding a thunderbolt in his right hand and a sceptre in his left hand, on a ground of clouds; arched rectangular border with astragal and cavetto moulded edging; two cornucopiae, flowers and leaves tumbling from them and hanging suspended down the sides; on top, two sea serpents.

    Notes: The figure is of Zeus/Jupiter as a child.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: 16 [...]

    Manufactured: in the mid- to late-17th century in the Siegerland area of Germany.

    Current location: Tiverton Castle, Tiverton, Devon, England.

  4. 710

    unknown_06 700 x 515.jpg
    515 x 700 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular central panel with bead edging; figure of a man with a shield, brandishing a sword in his right hand; arched rectangular border with astragal and fillet edging; mirrored swirled foliate design; on top, scallop shell between two descending sea serpents.

    Notes: The figure is probably a mythological subject.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Manufactured: in the mid- to late-17th century in the Siegerland area of Germany.

    Current location: not known.

  5. 720

    unknown_28 800 x 1200.jpg
    800 x 1200 mm

    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, at the foot of the scene is the word 'EVROPA'; tall-arched rectangular border with fillet edging; at top of arch, a lion's head above a ring, with descending grape vines on each side; at each side, a festoon of fruit suspended on a ribbon from a lion's head; at the bottom, an oval cartouche between flowers; on top, a Holy Roman Imperial crown between two descending dolphins.

    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

    Manufactured: in the mid- to late-17th century in the Siegerland area of Germany.

    Current location: not known.

  6. 865

    unknown_47 760x710.jpg
    760 x ?710 mm

    Description: Arched rectangle; twisted rope edging (top and sides); central date at bottom of arch.

    Inscription: 1670

    Manufactured: in 1670 in England.

    Current location: not known.

  7. 948

    unknown_66 597x813.jpg
    697 x 813 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shaped central panel with bead edging; seated, semi-naked female figure, with laurels leaves about her head, holding a bunch of grapes in her raised right hand; she is sitting on a stool; to her right is what appears to be a pile of stones; to her left a vase of tulips with a tree behind; above centre, is the word TERRA (earth - Latin); above is a swag of drapery enclosing a scallop shell; outside the panel is a narrow border of the same shape with fillet edging; the fireback is surmounted by a scallop shell between two outward-facing sea serpents.

    Notes: One of a series of four designs of the classical elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: TERRA

    Manufactured: in the mid- to late-17th century possibly in the Siegerland area of Germany.

    Current location: not known.

  8. 947

    unknown_71a 600x820.jpg
    600 x 820 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shaped central panel with bead edging; naked figure of Poseidon/Neptune holding a a trident in his raised left hand, his right arm extended; he is sitting on a bridge over a flowing stream; to his right a merman, half immersed, blows a shell trumpet; above centre, is the word AQUA (water - Latin); above is a swag of drapery enclosing a scallop shell; outside the panel is a narrow border of the same shape with fillet edging; the fireback is surmounted by a scallop shell between two outward-facing sea serpents.

    Notes: One of a series of four designs of the classical elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: AQUA

    Manufactured: in the mid- to late-17th century possibly in the Siegerland area of Germany.

    Current location: not known.

  9. 984

    unknown_85 711x1016b.jpg
    711 x 1016 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular central panel with additional arch above; bead and fillet edging; pictorial scene of, on the left, a tree next to a female and, in the centre, a male figure, both in eastern dress, a page behind holding a train, and to the right a short obelisk surmounted by a crescent, behind which is the head of a figure with a camel; behind is a small building also surmounted by a crescent, with clouds above; the word, ASIA, is centre bottom; identical shaped border with cavetto-moulded edging; a pomegranate on top with descending swags of drapery; at the sides, overlapping bunches of foliage suspended from ribbon bows; at the bottom, a central cartouche between fruit bunches; on top, a pomegranate with a descending serpent on each side, and a pomegranate on each shoulder of the plate.

    Notes: A pastiche of the EUROPA design based on an engraving c.1642 of Friedrich Wilhelm, Elector of Brandenburg, and his wife, Luise Henriette of Oranje-Nassau, by Mathias Czwiczek, with the figures adopting very similar poses in an oriental setting; one of series depicting allegories of the four continents, in this instance Asia. A recasting.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: ASIA / MB

    Manufactured: in the mid- to late-17th century possibly in the Siegerland area of Germany.

    Current location: not known.

    Citation: Hodgkinson, J. S., 2016, 'The 'Europa' fireback at Preston Manor, Brighton', Sussex Archaeological Collections, 154, pp. 297-9.

  10. 732

    va_08.jpg
    470 x 360 mm

    Description: Rectangular; cavetto edging all round; seated lion on right, its tail rising above its back and its head turned to face the viewer; a seated sheep on the left.

    Notes: Intended to represent the saying, ‘The lion shall lie down with the lamb’, a popular misquotation of Isaiah 11: 6. Some variants are dated 1679 (see no. 481).

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Manufactured: in the mid- to late-17th century in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Victoria & Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, Kensington & Chelsea, Greater London, England.

    Museum number: 894.1901 (part of the Victoria & Albert Museum museum group)