Firebacks

Description: Arched rectangular shaped; fillet edging with embattled relief inside; shield, helm, crest and mantling of the Blacksmiths' Company. RN monogram in top right corner.

Notes: Arms of the Blacksmiths' company: Sable, a chevron Or between three hammers Argent and crowned with open crowns of the second; crest: a phoenix in flames rising proper. The arms were granted in 1611. Several different versions of these arms are to be found on firebacks. The attribution of this fireback to the series usually identified by the monogram RN is tentative, it being a copy and a substantial amount of surface detail imperfectly rendered.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Arms: Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths

Description: Canted rectangle; twisted rope edging; date along the top; initials in triad across the middle; fleur-de-lys stamp repeated eight times down each side, pointing to the side or up in the order (from the top): side (2), then alternately, up first.

Notes: The initials probably represent those of a married couple, the 'H' for their surname; it is unusual for twisted rope edging to continue along the bottom of the plate.

Inscription: 1626 / RHL

Description: Flattened arched rectangular shape; cavetto moulded edge all round; Stuart royal arms with lion and unicorn supporters, crown, garter and motto; CR initials placed separately outside supporters; date split either side of crown.

Notes: A commonly copied variant has the intials, IT, at the top; one vertical plank-line on right side.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: 1635 / C R / HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE / DIEV ET MON DROIT

Arms: English Stuart royal - Charles I

Description: Flattened arched rectangular shape; cavetto moulded edge all round; armorial; arms of Browne family of Brenchley, Kent: Gules, a griffin passant or, a chief of the second; Crest: a vulture proper, wings endorsed, displuming a mallard’s wings.

Notes: John Browne, gunfounder, was granted arms in 1626. His principal furnace was in Brenchley parish, Kent. The royal gunfounder 1615-51, he petitioned the Crown for a monopoly of casting firebacks in 1633.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Arms: Browne of Brenchley (John Browne)

Description: Arched rectangular; gadrooned edging (top and sides); three spondles as stamps - one centre top, and a different one on each side to left and right of arch base - initials and date split either side of top spimdle.

Notes: The distinctive edging and use of spindles or bobbins is seen on other firebacks; similar initials and date suggest a common source; the initials may relate to John Weston, of Warnham, Sussex (d. 1642). A rectangular fireback of the same date and also with three identical spindles is at Ewhurst Place, Ifield.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: I W / 16 32

Description: Quasi-arched rectangular shape; no edging; arched rectangular central panel edged with a garland within a cartouche between guilloche-moulded bands that extend vertically below to form two further panels separated by a similar but plain band; the two bottom panels each extend sideways to form simulated pedestals; below is a plain, borderless panel. Within the main panel, at each corner a cherub head facing towards the centre; within the border of the panel, a symmetrical strapwork band forms the edge of a cartouche that is scrolled at the bottom and which curves away from the edge of the panel at the sides to reveal scrolls from behind, and which forms a heart shape in front of each of the putti enclosing an indeterminate feature; in the centre of the panel, resting upon a scrolled cartouche with scallop shells to left and right, a gadrooned medallion enclosing the depiction of an empty mural monument, draped from above and with a lion's mask below. Resting upon the pedestal to the right, a consol enclosing an indeterminate circular feature with two descending bands; on the pedestal to the left a similar consol and indeterminate circular feature but with a single descending band; above each consol the head of a classical deity facing to right and left respectively, above which are rows of vertical figures, four on the left and two on the right, which may be caryatid figures possibly intended to depict the Daughters of Athens on the Parthenon; above the main panel symmetrical scrolls. In the lower panel, a central rectangular cartouche, scrolled at the top and bottom, between symmetrical vignettes.

Notes: Some of the detail is too indistinct to permit accurate description, but a fireback of untypical design features that are all characteristic of the early-17th century.

Description: Arched rectangular shape with ovolo canted top corners; fillet edging; within a cartouche, shield of the Worshipful Company of Barber-Surgeons - quarterly, first and fourth, Sable a Chevron between three Fleams Argent, second and third, Per pale of the second and Vert on a Spatter also Argent a Tudor Rose proper crowned Or; on a Cross Gules dividing the quarters a Lion passant guardant Or; the date is above the shield, which is surmounted by a vase from which are displayed a flower and leaf stems; the same occupy the spaces on each side of the shield, below which is a motto scroll.

Notes: The arms on this fireback were granted to the company in 1569.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: 1631

Arms: Worshipful Company of Barber-Surgeons

Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and sides); top corners, initials in separate stamps arranged in triad with ‘WR’ above ‘E’; top centre, date on single block overstamped.

Notes: It is somewhat puzzling why a furnace should have a stock of letters but not of numerals. The use of a block for the date suggests that other firebacks may bear the same stamp.

Inscription: WER [triad] 1632 WER [triad]

Description: Arched rectangular shape; ovolo moulded edge all round; the fireback is divided, unequally, into three Old Testament scenes. Centre left: Joseph is pushed into a well shaft by one of his brothers; above, six other brothers, wearing cloaks and sober puritan hats, look on; below, one of Joseph’s brothers presents Jacob with Joseph’s coat; Joseph utters the words, ‘Ah it is my son’s coat’ in a speech bubble above. Top right: Isaac kneels on a wooden pyre; behind him, Abraham holds Isaac’s head with his left hand, and raises a cleaver above his head with his right hand; above Abraham, an angel stays his hand; to the right of Isaac a ram stands beside a bush. Bottom right: beneath a pergola Jacob lies on his deathbed; his twelve sons gather round his bed.

Notes: The scenes depicted are derived from, respectively, Genesis 38: 20-24 & 32-33, Genesis 22: 6-13, and Genesis 49. The distinctive pictorial subject, the naïve figuration, as well as a number of minor features, such as the use of an ‘S’ scroll, draw parallels with the Lenard fireback, and the pattern may have been the work of the same wood carver, suggesting that it may share the same source. Another, probably contemporary, example is at Hampton Court.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: AH IT IS MY SONES COT [Genesis 38: 33]

Description: Arched rectangular shape with small triangular protrusions in each top corner; fillet edging (top and sides); top centre, date stamp, over-pressed on right side; top corners, single fleur-de-lys stamp; below date, initials in triad.

Notes: The fleur-de-lys is of a distinctive form; the small triangular protrusions are not seen on other firebacks. Wilkinson's, Doncaster, auction 26 Feb 2017 lot 272. A fireback with the same date stamp is at Newark Park, Ozleworth, Gloucestershire.

Inscription: 1634 / RCS [triad]