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1166
Description: Rectangular shape; wide fillet and ogee-moulded edging; approximately top centre, initials RH, with date 1701 centred below.
Notes: A heavy casting, approx. 3cm thick; the character set for the initials and date lacks uniformity, some carved crudely, others more carefully; three horizontal planklines. Formerly in a house at Netherfield, East Sussex.
Inscription: RH / 1701
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- fillet and ogee (edging)
- carved stamps
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- planklines
- text
Manufactured: in 1701 in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Ripley Forge & Fireplaces, Northbridge Street, Salehurst, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Date & initials firebacks
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890
Description: Canted rectangle; cavetto moulded edging (top and sides); single horizontal fillet below canted corners and vertical fillet parallel to each side, dividing the fireback into two side panels, two top corner panels, top panel and main central panel; corner panels, ‘daisy’ plant stamp; top panel, date between ‘daisy’ stamps, between initials in triad at each end; side panels, swirling foliage stamp repeated each side above a fleur-de-lys, above initial 'I' on left and 'B' on right; centre panel, stamp of ‘Indian’ smoking a pipe at top left, stamp of seated ‘gentleman’ smoking a pipe and holding another, at top right; below each, a seated monkey stamp, that on the left seated facing right, its paws in front of it and its tail below, that on the right seated facing left, its tail drawn across its chest.
Notes: The IB initials are identical to those on similar firebacks dated between 1703 and 1721, probably indicating the same founder. The number 3 of the date and the fleur-de-lys on the lower left side have been over-pressed showing the backs of the stamps. The use of stamps relating to tobacco smoking may suggest an origin near Bristol, the main entry port for the tobacco trade at that time.
Inscription: IES [triad] 1703 IES [triad] / I B
- Decoration tags:
- canted rectangular (shape)
- fillet (edging)
- carved stamps
- heraldic
- text
- animals
- humans
- plants
Manufactured: in 1703 in the Forest of Dean area of England.
Current location: Greys Court, Rotherfield Greys, Oxfordshire, England.
(part of the National Trust museum group)
- Attached to series:
- IB series
- Date & initials firebacks
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1099
Description: Rectangular shape; ovolo-moulded edging; raised central rectangular panel with inset stylised design of a rounded arch upon Ionic columns, the inside edge indented; at quarter angles outside the arch, two trefoils; within the arch, sequence of linked hollow strapwork rhomboids and circles; between the columns, a roundel with the internal edge indented; left of the central panel, 16 above upper-case M in low relief; right of the central panel, 56 above upper-case G in low relief.
Notes: An unusually small but well-preserved back with a stylised design. The style of the numerals, particularly the 6 and 5, can be seen on a larger fireback of 1653.
Inscription: 16 56 / M G
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- ovolo (edging)
- carved stamps
- whole carved pattern
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- architectural
- text
Manufactured: in 1656 in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Avery Way, Tamar View Industrial Estate, Saltash, Cornwall, England.
- Attached to series:
- Date & initials firebacks
- 1650s Wealden series
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1098
Description: Rectangular shape; indeterminate moulded edging; central initials (A? D M)in triad, between split date (6 reversed).
Notes: The characters have been derived from an odd assortment: the numbers appear to be a recognisable character set, with the 6 and 9 interchangeable; the 6/9 has also been used, with the same stamp as has been used to form the uprights of the M, to construct a probable capital A (or R); the nature of the stamps forming the M is unclear. Noted in 1939 at Palfrey Farm, Petworth, West Sussex, which from the mid-16th century had been home to the Penycod family, suggesting that the fireback had not been original to the house.
Inscription: 16 / A[?] D M [triad] / 49
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- indeterminate moulded (edging)
- simple stamps
- carved stamps
- text
Manufactured: in 1649 possibly at Frith Furnace, Northchapel in the Weald area of England.
Current location:.
Citation: Smail, H. C. P., April 1939, 'Iron Firebacks' [letter], Sussex County Magazine, 13, 4, p. 284.
- Attached to series:
- Date & initials firebacks
- Petworth lettering series
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1236
Description: Rectangular; ogee moulding on top and side edges; symmetrical layout of date and initials; date split between left and right sides, initials in middle.
Notes: One of a series of backs dating to the 1730s and 40s using very similar sets of letters and numerals. Formerly at Yeomans, Mayfield, Sussex.
Inscription: 17 / WH / 34
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- cyma reversa/ogee (edging)
- carved stamps
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- text
Manufactured: in 1734 in the Weald area of England.
Current location: in private hands, New Jersey, United States of America.
- Attached to series:
- 1730s-40s, date & initial series
- Date & initials firebacks
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974
Description: Arched rectangular shape on a plain plinth; scalloped cavetto-moulded edging (top and sides); initials in triad within arch; date split in top corners; unidentified stamp top centre; hound stamp above letter 'R', stag stamp above letter 'A'; annulet stamp repeated inside each half of the date; flat scrolled protuberance on each side of arch; smaller protuberance above each shoulder.
Notes: The initials are likely to be those of a husband and wife, the stag and hound possibly associated with the husband's occupation. The protuberances are seen in different forms on firebacks on a few firebacks of the same period.
Inscription: RHA / 16 66
- Decoration tags:
- arched rectangular (shape)
- scalloped cavetto (edging)
- carved stamps
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- text
- animals
- objects
Manufactured: in 1666 in England.
Current location: Bishop's House, Norton Lees Lane, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England.
(part of the Museums Sheffield museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Miscellaneous stamp firebacks
- Date & initials firebacks
- Loop edged firebacks
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690
Description: Canted rectangle; plain edges; broad horizontal fillet dividing the plate in two just above the side angles, with vertical fillets to top corners enclosing date and initials.
Notes: Uncharacteristically crude for the period.
Inscription: IS / 16 60
- Decoration tags:
- canted rectangular (shape)
- none (edging)
- simple stamps
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- text
Manufactured: in 1660 in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Smallhythe Place, Small Hythe Road, Tenterden, Kent, England.
Museum number: NT/SMA/M/38 (part of the National Trust museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Date & initials firebacks
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892
Description: Canted rectangular shape; plain edging with inset ?leather strap twisted round dowel (top and sides); top centre, date probably in stamped numerals; twisted leather strap saltire repeated three times across middle of plate; pair of stamped initials, formed of a Roman 'W' and a Gothic 'd', above each outer saltire.
Notes: Sotheby's sale London 27 November 2006, lot 324; formerly at Brunger, Kent (near Tenterden).
Inscription: 1610 / WD WD
- Decoration tags:
- canted rectangular (shape)
- none (edging)
- simple stamps
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- apotropaic
- text
- objects
Manufactured: in 1610 in England.
Current location:.
- Attached to series:
- Date & initials firebacks
- Miscellaneous stamp firebacks
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691
Description: Arched rectangle; arch with egg and dart, ovolo edging, resting on rectangle shoulders and sides with triple fillet edging, a single fillet edged panel beneath; bottom panel, guilloche pattern of 12; main panel: shield, helm, crest, coronet and mantling of the Wynter/Wintour family of Lydney, Gloucestershire; the initials above the date, both split by the helm and coronet; on either side of the shield, Ionic pilasters; above the rectangle shoulders, a scrolled bracket each side, supporting the arch.
Notes: Wynter: Sable, a fess ermine, in chief a crescent for difference; crest: out of a ducal coronet, or, a cubit arm in armour erect, proper, garnished of the first, in the gauntlet three ostrich-feathers. The arms are likely to be those of Sir John Wynter, who owned several furnaces in the Forest of Dean. Formerly at Watts House, Bishop's Lydeard, Somerset, and before that at The Priory, Taunton.
Inscription: I W / 16 30
Arms: Winter/Wintour of Lydney, Gloucestershire
- Decoration tags:
- quasi-arched rectangular (shape)
- ovolo, egg and dart (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- armorial
- text
Manufactured: in 1630 in the Forest of Dean area of England.
Current location: Horniman Museum, London, London, England.
Museum number: 6.249 (part of the Horniman Museum museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Personal armorial firebacks
- Date & initials firebacks
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903
Description: Rectangular; ovolo-moulded edging (top and sides); date between split initials across upper half of plate; two notches cut away for insertion of firedogs.
Notes: The ‘6s’ appear to have been moulded from a type of jemmy.
Inscription: g 1669 P [reversed]
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- ovolo (edging)
- simple stamps
- carved stamps
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- text
- objects
Manufactured: in 1669 possibly in the Weald area of England.
Current location: George & Dragon Inn, Speldhurst Hill, Speldhurst, Kent, England.