Firebacks

Manufactured in the late 19th to early 20th century

  1. 22

    bramber,_st marys 02.jpg
    455 x 565 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shaped; fillet edging; a lion rampant

    Notes: Whole pattern. A modern design of fireback

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Manufactured: in the late 19th to early 20th century in England.

    Current location: St Mary's House, Bramber, West Sussex, England.

  2. 319

    christies,_london,_15_dec_2017,_lot_12_thomas_elsley_780x660.jpg
    780 x 660 mm
    Image subject to copyright

    Description: Arched rectangular shape; cyma-reversa edging; Tudor royal shield, garter, crown, motto and supporters (crowned lion and dragon); Tudor rose to right of lion’s head, portcullis to left of dragon’s head; temp. Elizabeth I.

    Notes: Cast by Thomas Elsley Ltd., of London from a modern pattern copying a Tudor original.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: [Garter] HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE / [motto] DIEV ET MON DROIT.

    Arms: Tudor royal - Elizabeth I

    Manufactured: in the late 19th to early 20th century at Portland Metal Works, Great Titchfield Street in the London area of England.

    Current location:, not known.

  3. 178

    hastings_065.jpg
    711 x 686 mm
    Image subject to copyright

    Description: Arched; cavetto edging; crowned plain shield bearing a Tudor rose, with crowned lion and dragon supporters, with garter and motto; date split by crown.

    Notes: A much-copied fireback; the numerals are uncharacteristically modern in form, suggesting they have been substituted on a later copy; a variant illustrated by Dawson shows a cross above the crown and more typically 16th century numerals. Formerly part of the Ade Collection (from Grove Hill, Hellingly, Sussex).

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: 1571 HONI SOIT... ...DROI ? K

    Manufactured: in the late 19th to early 20th century possibly 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: 1952.51.45 (part of the Hastings Museum museum group)

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

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

  4. 180

    hastings_067.jpg
    690 x 770 mm
    Image subject to copyright

    Description: Rectangular: fillet edging; top left, standing classically dressed female figure playing a lyre, with short column behind; top right, classically dressed female figure leaning on a short column; top centre, hatted figure of a bearded man with bagpipes on his back, riding a horse.

    Notes: An unusual group of stamps, possibly derived from brass chimney ornaments; the middle figure seems to have little in common with the other two, and the horse’s tail may include part of another figure. Formerly part of the Ade Collection (from Grove Hill, Hellingly, Sussex).

    Manufactured: in the late 19th to early 20th century in England.

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

    Museum number: HASMG: 1952.51.66 (part of the Hastings Museum museum group)

  5. 330

    horsham_museum 08.jpg
    920 x 610 mm
    Image subject to copyright

    Description: Rectangular; plain edge; top centre, ring between repeated lion's head between repeated narrow human figure with folded arms standing on a bracket; below each figure, a small bracket.

    Notes: The figures are indistinct and are disproportionately small for the size of the firebacks; from Isfield Place 1921.

    Manufactured: in the late 19th to early 20th century in England.

    Current location: Horsham Museum, Causeway, Horsham, West Sussex, England.

    (part of the Horsham Museum museum group)

  6. 331

    horsham_museum 09.jpg
    1052 x 588 mm
    Image subject to copyright

    Description: Rectangular; no edging; inscription evenly spaced along top, sans serif lettering.

    Inscription: IS D T IS

    Manufactured: in the late 19th to early 20th century in England.

    Current location: Horsham Museum, Causeway, Horsham, West Sussex, England.

    (part of the Horsham Museum museum group)

  7. 365

    lambourn,_ashdown house 01.jpg
    860 x 860 mm
    Image subject to copyright

    Description: Arched rectangular shape; astragal edging with parallel astragal enclosing a border of undulating convolvulus vine, leaves and flowers; bead and disc circle in arch, above a pair of lions rampant facing each other, between which are a five-pointed star above a rose.

    Notes: A fireback in a retro-Regency style. Sotheby's auction, 27 Oct 2010, lot 209 (£2,500)

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Manufactured: in the late 19th to early 20th century in England.

    Current location: in private hands, Lambourn, Berkshire, England.

  8. 366

    leicester,_guildhall_02a.jpg
    545 x 410 mm

    Description: Rectangular; astragal edging; shield motto and crest of the family of Lawrence.

    Notes: Blazon: Ermine, on a cross raguly gules an eastern crown or, on a chief azure two swords in saltire proper pomels and hilts gold between as many leopards' heads argent; crest: out of an eastern crown or, a cubit arm entwined by a wreath of laurel and holding a dagger, all proper. These arms apply to neither the baronetcy nor the two baronies awarded to members of the Lawrence family, the mottoes of which also differ.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: IN GOD IS MY TRUST

    Arms: Lawrence

    Manufactured: in the late 19th to early 20th century in England.

    Current location:, not known.

    Citation: Fox-Davies, A. C., 1929, Armorial Families: A Directory of Gentlemen of Coat-armour (London, Hurst & Blackett).