Firebacks

Manufactured in the 16th century

20 results

  1. 1115

    crowborough,_luxford house 06.jpg
    >935 x 470 mm

    Description: Fragment; canted rectangular; twisted rope edging (topand sides); central cross of twisted rope.

    Notes: Sections missing at both ends.

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

    Current location: in private hands, Crowborough, East Sussex, England.

  2. 69

    freshfield,_town place.jpg
    ~1305 x 675 mm

    Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and sides); twisted rope lengths parallel to top and both sides and crossing at corners, with shorter rope lengths across inside angles; shorter rope lengths arranged in three crosses across middle of plate, the middle one higher than the other two.

    Notes: A particularly large and elaborate arrangement of rope lengths. The crosses suggest Christian significance.

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

    Current location: in private hands, Freshfield, East Sussex, England.

    Citation: Easton, T. & Hodgkinson, J. S., 2013, 'Apotropaic Symbols on Cast-Iron Firebacks', Jnl. of the Antique Metalware Soc., 21, pp. 14-33.

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

  3. 73

    groombridge,_bird in hand st 01a.jpg
    783 x 497 mm

    Description: Plain rectangular plate; print of a left hand, lower centre.

    Notes: The excrescence above and to the left of the hand print shows where the pouring iron displaced the casting sand.

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

    Current location: in private hands, Groombridge, Kent, England.

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

  4. 78

    guildford_museum 03.jpg
    715 x 440 mm
    Image subject to copyright

    Description: Sub-rectangular; twisted rope edging; lengths of twisted rope arranged to form two 'V' shapes and an 'I' overlapping to forma possible monogram.

    Notes: The 'monogram' comprises different length pieces of rope and may have an apotropaic significance, the double 'V' referring to the Virgin Mary.

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

    Current location: Guildford Museum, Guildford, Surrey, England.

    Museum number: G.488 (part of the Guildford Museum museum group)

    Citation: Easton, T. & Hodgkinson, J. S., 2013, 'Apotropaic Symbols on Cast-Iron Firebacks', Jnl. of the Antique Metalware Soc., 21, pp. 14-33.

  5. 115

    hastings_005.jpg
    660 x 405 mm
    Image subject to copyright

    Description: Plain rectangular plate with cross formed of a single length of twisted rope placed twice.

    Notes: Despite the simple form, the likely Christian symbolism is very evident. Formerly part of the Ade Collection (from Grove Hill, Hellingly, Sussex).

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

    Current location: Hastings Museum and Art Gallery, John's Place, Bohemia Road, Hastings, East Sussex, England.

    Museum number: HASMG: 1952.51.17 (part of the Hastings Museum museum group)

  6. 921

    heathfield,_manor farm 01.jpg
    970 x 585 mm

    Description: Canted rectangle; twisted rope edging (top and sides); central arrow-shaped design formed of three repeated rope lengths.

    Notes: The arrow design probably has an apotropaic (evil-averting) purpose, perhaps intended as the initials VV for 'virgo virginum'.

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

    Current location: in private hands, Heathfield, East Sussex, England.

  7. 437

    lewes,_sussex arch soc 077a.jpg
    960 x 695 mm
    Image subject to copyright

    Description: Sub-rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and sides); centre, straight length of twisted material (rope or metal) stamped eight times to form an octagram, and twice on each side to form saltires.

    Notes: The octagram has magical symbolism, allegedly providing protection against evil. Formerly part of the J. H. Every collection. Illustration from Schubert, 1957.

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

    Current location: Anne of Cleves House, Southover High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, England.

    Museum number: 1944.24.038 (part of the Sussex Archaeological Society museum group)

    Citation: Mercer, H. C., 1961, The Bible in Iron (3rd ed. Doylestown, The Bucks County Historical Society).

    Citation: Schubert, H. R., 1957, History of the British Iron and Steel Industry (London, Routledge), pp. 256-264.

  8. 441

    lewes,_sussex arch soc 081.jpg
    695 x 780 mm
    Image subject to copyright

    Description: Sub-rectangular; edged with a repeated length of helically-turned dowel (top and sides); apparently random arrangement of same piece of dowel repeated ten times, including a saltire and cross.

    Notes: Apart from the Christian significance of the cross, the other arrangements of rope lengths may be apotropaic in their purpose, the double V being a possible invocation of the Virgin. The blemishes at the base are caused by the casting sand being disturbed by the pouring of the metal.

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

    Current location: Anne of Cleves House, Southover High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, England.

    Museum number: LH000.799 (part of the Sussex Archaeological Society museum group)

    Citation: Christy, M., 30 May 1908, 'The Old Flat Hearth and its Appliances, III - The Fire-back', The Crown, The Court and County Families' Newspaper, XCIX, Vol. 8, No. 9, pp. 383-6.

    Citation: Dawson, C., 1903, 'Sussex Iron Work and Pottery', Sussex Archaeological Collections, 46, pp. 1-54.

    Citation: Easton, T. & Hodgkinson, J. S., 2013, 'Apotropaic Symbols on Cast-Iron Firebacks', Jnl. of the Antique Metalware Soc., 21, pp. 14-33.

    Citation: Gardner, J. S., 1898, 'Iron Casting in the Weald', Archaeologia, 56, 1, pp. 133-164.

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

  9. 455

    lewes,_sussex arch soc 095a.jpg
    800 x 490 mm
    Image subject to copyright

    Description: Canted rectangle; twisted rope edging (top and sides); a rope saltire in each top corner.

    Notes: The edging is made from the same, short lengths of rope as the saltires.

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

    Current location: Hall Place, Bexley, Kent, England.

    Museum number: 1944.24.049 (part of the Sussex Archaeological Society museum group)

    Citation: Easton, T. & Hodgkinson, J. S., 2013, 'Apotropaic Symbols on Cast-Iron Firebacks', Jnl. of the Antique Metalware Soc., 21, pp. 14-33.

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

  10. 457

    lewes,_sussex arch soc 097.jpg
    >432 x 620 mm
    Image subject to copyright

    Description: Fragment; right part, prob. rectangular; twisted strip edging (top and sides); stamp of firedog with semi-circular feet, and with shields at top and bottom of shaft, the lower with quartered arms, the upper with diagonal bar over a rectangle (gate?); horizontal twisted strip length to left of firedog.

    Notes: The twisted lengths clearly show the flattened form of a strip of material (poss. leather).

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

    Current location: Anne of Cleves House, Southover High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, England.

    Museum number: LH000.914 (part of the Sussex Archaeological Society museum group)