Firebacks

Newent area group

14 results

  1. 1142

    binegar,_mendip auction rooms 01.jpg
    605 x 540 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shape with quadrant extensions on top corners; twisted rope edging (top and sides); vertical rope line parallel to each side, forming two separate side panels; horizontal rope line joined to vertical lines enclosing the following: inside arch, initials IBA in triad; below initials, double fleur-de-lys stamp between split date; below horizontal line, a double fleur stamp in each top corner of central lower panel; in each side panel, a single bead above a vertical sequence of squared cross stamps repeated eight times.

    Notes: The distinctive squared cross and fleur stamps are seen on other firebacks; the initials in triad may relate to a husband and wife. A taller variant of the same fireback is at Northgate House, Warwick. Mendip Auctions, Binegar, Somerset, 7 Sep 2019, lot 374.

    Inscription: IBA [triad] / 16 93

    Manufactured: in 1693 in the Forest of Dean area of England.

    Current location: not known.

  2. 875

    bradford-on-avon,_westwood manor 04a.jpg
    1300 x 760 mm

    Description: Canted rectangle; double fillet edging (top and sides); repeated 'X' stamp parallel to edging, horizontally across centre, and in two parallel lines from top to centre, dividing top half of plate into three sections; 'daisy' stamp approximately in middle of top left and right sections, repeated four times in triad in top middle section, and thrice along top of bottom section; small roundel stamp repeated 3-3-1 in top left section, and 3-1-3-1 in top right section; date split between top left and right sections; initials split in top centre section.

    Notes: An arrangement with several elements likely to have been repeated on other firebacks.

    Inscription: 16 D[reversed] B 81

    Manufactured: in 1681 in the Forest of Dean area of England.

    Current location: Westwood Manor, Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, England.

    Museum number: 222490 (part of the National Trust museum group)

  3. 1088

    brightwells,_leominster 27 jul 2016 lot 694.jpg
    ?900 x ?500 mm

    Description: Canted rectangular shape; cavetto-moulded edging (top and sides); across the top, double star stamp repeated nine times; below and top centre, date between initials in triad; below date, large hollow fleur-de-lys stamp repeated three times in a line between two triads of stylised fleur-de-lys stamps, with one of the same stamps in each bottom corner; lower centre, woodblock stamp repeated three times in a line.

    Notes: The initials 'IIA' in triad probably relate to a couple whose surname initial was 'I' or 'J'; a fireback, dated 1659, with some of the same stamps is at the Dean Heritage Centre, Soudley, Gloucestershire, and another, dated 1667, has been noted at Upper End Farm, Hope Mansell, Herefordshire. Brightwells Auctioneers, Leominster, 27 Jul 2016, lot 694 (£480 inc. grate).

    Inscription: IIA [triad] 1668 IIA [triad]

    Manufactured: in 1668 in the Forest of Dean area of England.

    Current location: not known.

  4. 1000

    broadway,_ashmolean museum 02.jpg
    1285 x 692 mm

    Description: Canted rectangle; stepped fillet edging (top and sides); straight twisted rope lengths parallel to top and parallel to each side, forming inner rectangle with rope quadrants across top corners; side compartments: line of 12 beads along top inside rope line, 3 semi-circular at corners, with a single bead in each corner quadrant, and 8 down each side; top centre, date with single bead above; cross with a cross stamp repeated 10 times to right of date and 9 time to left, one in each corner, and 13 down the left side and 12 down the right.

    Notes: The quadrant arc and use of repeated beads suggests a common source with other firebacks of the same period.

    Inscription: 1686

    Manufactured: in 1686 in the Forest of Dean area of England.

    Current location: Ashmolean Museum Broadway, 65 High Street, Broadway, Worcestershire, England.

    (part of the Ashmolean Museum museum group)

  5. 1022

    burford,_tolsey museum a.jpg
    685 x 535 mm

    Description: Rectangular, with double fillet edging (top and sides); fillets parallel to top and to each side, dividing the plate into two square corner panels and narrow rectangular panels along top and down each side; fillet arc across inside top corners; date split between top corners, divided by vertical fillets, and separated by a hollow saltire stamp repeated six times; one hollow saltire, with a central bead, between each corner arc; eight similar saltire stamps down each side panel; 27 'daisy heads' arranged regularly around outer edge of central panel, with five saltires arranged in a cross shape in the centre.

    Notes: The arc shape and use of repeated 'daisy heads' suggests a common source with other firebacks of the same period; the poor definition is due to insufficient impression at the moulding stage.

    Inscription: 17 02

    Manufactured: in 1702 in the Forest of Dean area of England.

    Current location: Tolsey Museum, 126 High Street, Burford, Oxfordshire, England.

    (part of the Tolsey Museum, Burford museum group)

  6. 1155

    chorleys_gloucester,_20_nov_2019,_lot_634_1200x580.jpg
    1200 x ~680 mm

    Description: Rectangular shape; fillet edging (top and sides); across the top, line of squared cross stamps in three groups (5, 5 and 7), with six more continued down each side; below the top line of stamps, central date with initials in triad to each side, interrupting the top line of stamps, with two fleurs-de-lys to each side and a single bead; below, three sides of a rectangular compartment, fillet edged with irregular quadrants at the top corner enclosing two fleurs-de-lys each, between which is a line of about 10 beads between single fleurs.

    Notes: A large and badly corroded fireback linking the Square Cross series and Hollow Saltire series stylistically. The initials probably relate to a husband and wife. Chorley's Auctioneers sale, Gloucester, 20 November 2019, lot 634 (£20).

    Inscription: WCK [triad] 1668 WCK [triad

    Manufactured: in 1668 in the Forest of Dean area of England.

    Current location:, not known.

  7. 845

    christies_24-05-01 458mm x 420mm.jpg
    458 x 420 mm

    Description: Canted rectangle; ovolo-moulded edging (top and sides); from top: double star stamp repeated four times; date between two triads of the same initials, the 'Y' and the 'N' reversed; stylised fleur-de-lys below each pair of initials, with a large hollow fleur-de-lys in the centre.

    Notes: The initials 'NYM' in triad probably relate to a couple whose surname initial was 'Y'; a fireback, dated 1659, with some of the same stamps is at the Dean Heritage Centre, Soudley, Gloucestershire, and another, dated 1667, has been noted at Upper End Farm, Hope Mansell, Herefordshire. Christie's auction, 24 May 2001.

    Inscription: NYM [triad] 1669 NYM [triad]

    Manufactured: in 1669 in the Forest of Dean area of England.

    Current location: not known.

  8. 1023

    coombes,_old rectory.jpg
    975 x 610 mm

    Description: Canted rectangle; hatched fillet edging (top and sides); initials in triad to the left; fleur-de-lys stamp repeated seven times across top; date and initial pairs below; full width, horizontal hatched fillet below inscription; zig-zag formed of short, hatched fillets down each side below horizontal fillet; space within bordered by squared cross stamp repeated 12 times horizontally and six times on each side.

    Notes: The distinctive squared cross and fleur stamps are seen on other firebacks; the initials in triad may relate to a husband and wife, the pairs of initials to their children; an almost identical fireback seen at Smith's Funeral Services, close to the site of Elmbridge Furnace, at Newent, Gloucestershire, differs only in the alignment of the left-hand column of squared crosses.

    Inscription: AHE [triad] 1671 WH MH

    Manufactured: in 1671 possibly at Elmbridge Furnace, Newent in the Forest of Dean area of England.

    Current location: in private hands, Coombes, West Sussex, England.

  9. 884

    cranbrook,_george hotel.jpg
    1343 x 614 mm

    Description: Canted rectangle; stepped fillet edging (top and sides); twisted rope lengths parallel to top and parallel to each side, forming six compartments; side compartments: seven double fleurs-de-lys in vertical line; top corner compartments: one double fleur-de-lys angled parallel to canting; top compartment: date in centre, initials repeated at each end, three fleurs between date and initials, centre fleur perpendicular to others; main compartment: one fleur in each top corner, line of beads inside rope line, semi-circular at corners.

    Notes: The arc shape and use of repeated beads suggests a common source with other firebacks of the same period.

    Inscription: RR / 1688 / RR

    Manufactured: in 1688 in the Forest of Dean area of England.

    Current location: The George Hotel, Stone Street, Cranbrook, Kent, England.

  10. 832

    honiton,_marwood house 01.jpg
    921 x 514 mm

    Description: Canted rectangular; astragal edging (top and sides), inside of which are repeated panels carved with overlapping fleurs-de-lys; upper centre, date evenly spaced in individual numerals; below date, initials evenly spaced in individual letters; at each end of date, single small fleur-de-lys stamp; at each end of initials, large hollow fleur-de-lys; diagonally from each lower corner of canting, line of six squared cross stamps; in bottom corners, triad of small fleur-de-lys stamps each enclosing a large fleur below; bottom centre, woodblock stamp.

    Notes: The repeated fleur panels are likely to have derived from furniture. Varied use of the same stamps are on other firebacks, including one dated 1667 at Upper End Farm, Hope Mansell, Herefordshire.

    Inscription: 1683 / AK

    Manufactured: in 1683 in the Forest of Dean area of England.

    Current location: not known.