Firebacks

Description: Arched rectangular shaped central panel with bead edging; arched rectangular border with bead edging; fructal and floral festoons suspended on ribbons with two putti at the top and two on each side; in the left and right bottom corners, the initials 'HH' and 'S' respectively; at the bottom, a central cartouche with date (indistinctly), between floral swags; on top, twin spirals between descending floral festoons.

Notes: A border panel, without the central pictorial panel.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: HH S

Description: Rectangular; composite: complex (cavetto/cyma recta/ovolo) moulded edging (top and sides), derived from domestic carpentry; two firebacks used as patterns: on the left, rectangular with mirrored floriate scrolled top, simulated overlapping tile edging at sides, with fillet bottom edge, a mythical salamander in the form of a dog with an arrow-shaped tongue, standing among flames, a stapled scroll inside the left and right edges; on the right, arched rectangular with fillet edging indented on the inner side, surrounding a circular clock face with Roman numerals, each interspaced with a bead, and a button outside each quarter, a triangular design of swirled foliage in each bottom spandrel; initials in triad between firebacks; below, stamp formed of a talbot statant guardant upon a wreath; date split: ‘1’s in top corners, ‘6’s above initials; bottom third of fireback plain.

Notes: The talbot crest, which in this instance has been over pressed and shows the shape of the backing, is seen on other firebacks indicating a common source; the 'salamander' fireback is part of the Stapled Scroll series; composite firebacks (where other firebacks are used as patterns) are uncommon in England.

Inscription: 16 61 / IBM

Description: Arched rectangular shape; ovolo moulded edging; date in arch; below arch two parallel, vertical straps, each with a buckle at the top; initials left and right of centre; roughly symmetrical arrangement of four stamps repeated: rectangular stamp with deer three times down centre, one outside each buckle and one beyond each strap end; circular food mould stamp outside centre of each strap, beyond stag stamp outside buckle and at edge beyond strap end; 'rabbit' stamp at edge beyond food mould stamp outside each buckle and outside each strap end; rectangular stamp with 'dog' outside each initial and six times below strap ends.

Notes: From the drawing it is not certain if the stamps are the same as on another example of this fireback in Hastings Museum. The food mould stamp may be those seen on at least one other fireback. Recorded at Huggetts Farm, Waldron, Sussex, by Edward Hughes; J. Starkie Gardner collection, Victoria & Albert Museum, Archive of Art and Design (AAD/2014/8).

Inscription: 1642 / T P

Description: Cavetto-canted arched rectangle; twisted rope edging, separately around rectangle and arch; initials 'R' and 'H' in upper left and right corners of rectangle; 'M' above date in arch.

Notes: The arch does not appear to have been a separate stamp, although the rope edging gives that impression; the initials, in triad, suggest a husband and wife - R.. and H.. M..

Inscription: M / 1654 / / R H

Description: Arched rectangular shaped; ovolo-moulded edging (top and sides); central stamp of a carved bracket figure of a bearded man in a loincloth and cap; rhyme in capitals across rectangular plate, letters carved on strips, split by figure.

Notes: The twin miseries of a smoky house and a scolding wife are mentioned several times in literature. The dress of the figure suggests work as a miner, possibly linking this back with the Forest of Dean. Variants with initials and dates are also known.

Inscription: FROM ·A·-·SMOKY ·LIFE·/ AND·A SCOVL DING·WIFE·/ALL MEN THAT-DOE·ME·SE/ TAKE·PETIE- AND·DELIVER ME

Description: Rectangular; cavetto edging; a left-facing cockerel grasps a snake in its beak, another snake writhes on the ground behind it; date to left of the cockerel’s tail; four vertical planklines.

Notes: The design may have religious significance, the snake symbolising sin and the cockerel denoting St Peter’s denial of Christ. The ‘1’ of the date is hooked, suggesting a common source with firebacks designed by the pattern-maker, IM.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: 1652

Description: Rectangular with mirrored floriate scrolled top; simulated overlapping tile edging at sides, with fillet bottom edge; a mythical salamander in the form of a dog with an arrow-shaped tongue, standing among flames; a stapled scroll inside the left and right edges.

Notes: This fireback was used to create a composite fireback design on a plate at Rivers Farmhouse, Ardingly.

Description: Arched rectangular shape; cavetto edging; three ostrich feathers issuing from a royal coronet; motto banner below.

Notes: The badge of the Prince of Wales; perhaps cast during the Commonwealth period; a variant at Rottingdean Grange has pattern-maker's initials.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: ICH [DIEN]

Description: Arched rectangular shape; ovolo moulded edging; date in arch; below arch two parallel, vertical straps, each with a buckle at the top; initials left and right of centre; rectangular stamp with bird, four times across top; larger rectangular stamp with unidentified animal, twice below initials.

Notes: The buckles suggest a connection with the Pelham family; the initials may relate to Sir Thomas Pelham, who was active in 1642, and who had interests in several ironworks. An example at Great Dixter, Northiam, has a different arrangement of the same stamps.

Inscription: 1642 / T P

Description: Arched rectangular shape; ovolo-moulded edging with inverted fleur-de-lys at top; lion passant guardant, with rose to the left and thistle above tail; date split between legs; single horizontal plank-line.

Notes: The boldness of the figuration suggests association with firebacks possibly cast at Brede Furnace in the same period.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: 1 6 5 6