Firebacks

267 results

  1. 1128

    amerongen,_21 nederstraat 03 460x520x210.jpg
    460 x 520 mm

    Description: Quasi-arched shape with forward-facing 'wings', which splay outwards towards the base; the 'wings' curve to follow the shape of the main panel but curl outwards at the top; central panel with pictorial image of, to the right, a shepherd holding a musical pipe, his right foot upon a log, upon which a dog, to the left, sits holding the shepherd's crook; top centre, a crown, on either side of which, on the curled upper parts of the 'wings', is an inward facing sheep.

    Notes: This small, but unusual, casting was probably cast in an open box mould as the upcast (reverse) side of the casting shows evidence of being sand-treated. Only a very small number of such castings are known. Depth 210mm

    Manufactured: in the late 17th to early 18th century in England.

    Current location: 21 Nederstraat, Amerongen, Utrechtse Heuvelrug, Netherlands.

  2. 1212

    amerongen,_21_nederstraat_07_750x1000.jpg
    750 x 1000 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular central panel with bead edging; wickerwork Garden of Holland (Hollandse Tuin) within which is seated a berobed female figure holding a cap of freedom on the end of a long pole; before her is the crowned heraldic lion of the States General of the Netherlands, clutching a sheaf of arrows in its left front paw; above are the words, Pro Patria; arched rectangular border with fillet edging; central cartouche at top, with festoons of fruit, flowers and leaves suspended on each side from ribbons supported by rings; at the bottom, swirled ribbon around an oval compartment bearing the inscription 'L6C'; on top, a central cartouche from which descend a cornucopia on each side of the arch.

    Notes: An overtly patriotic theme with symbols of Dutch nationhood; the inscription at the bottom indicates the style of border; other firebacks with the same inscription have the same border; similar inscriptions (e.g. L7C and L8G) indicate different borders.

    Inscription: PRO PATRIA / L6C

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

    Current location: 21 Nederstraat, Amerongen, Utrechtse Heuvelrug, Netherlands.

  3. 844

    atcham_02.jpg
    395 x 575 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular central panel; fillet edging; pictorial scene of a cloaked figure, to the right, tempting a dog, to the left, with a tasty morsel; behind are the outlines of a door and window; arched rectangular border with fillet edging, the date along the bottom; down each side, a floral festoon; over the arch, the inscription, the initials split between each side of the main inscription; on top, floral scrolls.

    Notes: The inscription translates as 'loyalty above gifts'; some castings omit the initials, NL, indicating that they were a subsequent addition. The illustration is derived from 'The thief and the dog', one of a series of engravings of Aesop's Fables by Wenceslaus Hollar.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: N / FIDES DONA SUPERAT / L // 1696

    Manufactured: in 1696 possibly in the Siegerland area of Germany.

    Current location: English Heritage Store, Atcham Business Park, Atcham, Shropshire, England.

    Museum number: EH ASC 4491 (part of the English Heritage museum group)

  4. 1269

    bradford_on_tone,_raflees_reclamation_585x585.jpg
    585 x 585 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shape; fillet edging; central male figure clothed in 17th century style, facing to the left, holding a mallet in his raised right hand and holding a board with rectangular detailing in relief in his left hand; vertical boards in relief behind; below to the left, a smaller figure holding a long pole diagonally with other detailing in relief behind; to the lower right, a female figure, contemporaneously clothed, a scroll feature to her right; behind, an archtectural grille with scrolled detailing; above, swagged drapery with three descending tasselled ropes.

    Notes: A pastiche of a 17th century fireback, perhaps inspired by the Lenard fireback of 1636 (see no. 429). The scene appears to be of a carpenter's workshop but some of the detail in the lower parts of the fireback is indistinct owing to corrosion. The drapery was probably inspired by a similar feature on several late-17th or early-18th century English, 'Dutch'-style fireback designs. The reverse (upcast) side of the fireback is very smooth indicating a modern date for the casting.

    Manufactured: in the 20th century in England.

    Current location: Raflees Reclamation Ltd, Trefusis Lodge, Tone Green, Bradford-on-Tone, Somerset, England.

  5. 651

    bridgewater_collection 02.jpg
    530 x 430 mm

    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

    Manufactured: in 1652 possibly at Brede Furnace in the Weald area of England.

    Current location:.

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

  6. 219

    brighton,_preston manor 01.jpg
    792 x >1000 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 'EUROPA'; arched rectangular border with fillet edging, from a central bunch of grapes at the top of the arch, a ribbon on each side suspends bunches of fruit and flowers; at the bottom a central cartouche containing the inscription 'L7G', with flowers on each side;; on top are two mirrored 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; the initials, L7C, denote the style of border - other firebacks having the same inscription have the same border - and other borders are denoted by similar inscriptions (e.g. L6C and L8G).

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: EVROPA / L7C

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

    Current location: Preston Manor, Brighton, East Sussex, England.

    Museum number: HA105000 (part of the Brighton Museum museum group)

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

  7. 210

    brighton_museum 02.jpg
    405 x 534 mm

    Description: Quasi-arched rectangular shape; ovolo-moulded edging; fluid curving, double ovolo arch with a pair of putti holding looped ribbons; a lion rampant holding a cartouche, between two pilasters, each surmounted by a dragon’s head.

    Notes: A simple decorative device has replaced the customary allegorical or classical scene.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Manufactured: in the late 17th century in England.

    Current location: Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, Brighton, East Sussex, England.

    Museum number: HA105020 (part of the Brighton Museum museum group)

  8. 212

    brighton_museum 04.jpg
    359 x 597 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular central panel, bead edging, female figure, her right arm raised, sitting on a bull; arched rectangular border, fillet edging, swags of fruit bunches suspended from ribbon, inscription below central panel; on top, symmetrical floral swirls and flowers; plain panel at bottom.

    Notes: The image is of Europa being carried away to Crete by Zeus disguised as a bull.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: 16 NDW 97

    Manufactured: in 1697 in the Siegerland area of Germany.

    Current location: Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, Brighton, East Sussex, England.

    Museum number: HA105015 (part of the Brighton Museum museum group)

  9. 214

    brighton_museum 06.jpg
    381 x 581 mm

    Description: Rectangular with arched, mirrored scrolls on top and central scallop shell; fillet edging; in a grove with two putti above, blowing trumpets, to the left, a naked female figure seated against a table, pointing at three children to the right, on a rock; at the bottom, narrow panel with indistinct decoration.

    Notes: The scene is probably from classical mythology, but has not been identified.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Manufactured: in the early 18th century in England.

    Current location: Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, Brighton, East Sussex, England.

    Museum number: HATMP002269 (part of the Brighton Museum museum group)

  10. 215

    brighton_museum 07.jpg
    476 x 702 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular central panel with canted, cavetto-canted shoulders and bead edging on a broad fillet; seated female figure in a chariot drawn by dogs, symmetrical hanging drapery above right; same-shaped border with fillet edging at top, and suspended ribbons with floral bunches; at base, symmetrical palm leaves tied with ribbon; symmetrical serpents on top their tails intertwined.

    Notes: The design is derived from a personification of America, one of a set of playing cards entitled Jeu de la Géographie, designed by Stefano della Bella (1677). The pattern for this fireback, from which the protuberances above the serpents’ heads is missing, is in Rottingdean Grange. The pattern, however, has a base panel of a chain-link design, which is missing from this casting.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Manufactured: in the late 17th to early 18th century possibly in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, Brighton, East Sussex, England.

    Museum number: HATMP002214 (part of the Brighton Museum museum group)

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