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337
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; date and monogram in arch, split by figure, ‘T’ elevated; rhyme in capitals across centre, letters carved on strips, split by figure; date and initials as individual stamps.
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 exist without date or initials, or with other dates. A version of this fireback with the date 1660, instead of 1658, was noted at Bellamy's Farm, Longney, Gloucestershire in 1912 (Notes and Queries, 11th ser., 6 (Sep 1912), p.230.).
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: 1658 LTB; ·FROM ·A·-·SMOKY ·LIFE·/ AND·A SCOVL DING·WIFE·/ALL MEN THAT-DOE·ME·SE/ TAKE·PETIE- AND·DELIVER ME
- Decoration tags:
- arched rectangular (shape)
- fillet (edging)
- carved stamps
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- text
- humans
Manufactured: in 1658 possibly at Tintern Furnace in the Forest of Dean area of Wales.
Current location: in private hands, Huddington, Worcestershire, England.
Citation: Chambers, L. H., 26 Sep 1912, 'Fireback: Relic of 1660', Notes and Queries, 11th series, 6, p. 230.
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339
Description: Rectangular with rebated top corners; ovolo moulded edging (top and sides); topcentre, date above initials.
Notes: The rebated corners are an unusual feature.
Inscription: 1653 / T · L ·C
- Decoration tags:
- sub-rectangular (shape)
- ovolo (edging)
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- text
Manufactured: in 1653 in England.
Current location: in private hands, Huddington, Worcestershire, England.
- Attached to series:
- Date & initials firebacks
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343
Description: Arched rectangular shape; no edging; initials evenly spaced around arch; date split between top corners.
Inscription: W S / 18 24
- Decoration tags:
- arched rectangular (shape)
- none (edging)
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- text
Manufactured: in 1824 in England.
Current location: Ightham Mote, Ightham, Kent, England.
Museum number: 825375 (part of the National Trust museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Date & initials firebacks
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356
Description: Canted rectangle; twisted rope edging (top and sides); bearded face stamp repeated in top corners and below inscription; date along top edge; initials split by date and slightly below.
Notes: The distinctive style of the ‘4’ in the date and the bearded mask stamp have also been noted on a fireback at Callow Farm, Dymock, Gloucestershire, associated with the operator of the Newent furnace.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: E 1641 M
- Decoration tags:
- canted rectangular (shape)
- rope (edging)
- carved stamps
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- text
- humans
Manufactured: in 1641 probably at Elmbridge Furnace, Newent in the Forest of Dean area of England.
Current location: Baddesley Clinton Hall, Knowle, Warwickshire, England.
Museum number: 342876 (part of the National Trust museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Miscellaneous stamp firebacks
- Date & initials firebacks
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1156
Description: Arched rectangular shape; stylised twisted rope edging; centred, 'C & G' above 'S' above '1929', all between four stylised rope saltires.
Notes: A twentieth century fireback designed and executed in a traditional form.
Inscription: C & G / S / 1929
- Decoration tags:
- arched rectangular (shape)
- rope (edging)
- carved stamps
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- text
- objects
Manufactured: in 1929 in England.
Current location: Lacock Abbey, Lacock, Wiltshire, England.
Museum number: 1545478 (part of the National Trust museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Date & initials firebacks
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362
Description: Rectangle; no edging; date just above centre; initials above date.
Notes: The disparity between the quality of the stamping of the date and initials may be because the date has been stamped from a single block. There are stylistic similarities with the memorial plate to John and Ann Luck, dated 1771, in Wadhurst church porch, Sussex.
Inscription: I H / 1776
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- none (edging)
- carved stamps
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- text
Manufactured: in 1776 in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Scotney Castle, Lamberhurst, Kent, England.
Museum number: 791899 (part of the National Trust museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Date & initials firebacks
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363
Description: Arched rectangular shaped, the arch linked to the rectangle by cavetto curves; cavetto edging ending in two opposed spirals at top; initials below spirals; date below initials; otherwise plain.
Notes: Probably cast from a carved, edged board, with the initials and date added separately.
Inscription: I or F H / 1698
- Decoration tags:
- arched rectangular (shape)
- carved stamps
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- text
Manufactured: in 1698 in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Scotney Castle, Lamberhurst, Kent, England.
Museum number: 791911 (part of the National Trust museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Small arch series
- Date & initials firebacks
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841
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; 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 lion passant stamp, facing right on the left and facing left on the right; initials IB in bottom corners of centre panel.
Notes: The 'daisy' stamp is identical to those on similar firebacks dated between 1703 and 1721, and probably indicating the same founder; 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. Previously noted at Little Faringdon House, near Lechlade. Bishop & Miller auction, Stowmarket, Suffolk, 25 May 2022, lot 293.
Inscription: TME [triad] 1706 TME [triad] / I B
- Decoration tags:
- canted rectangular (shape)
- cavetto (edging)
- carved stamps
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- heraldic
- text
- animals
- humans
- plants
Manufactured: in 1706 in the Forest of Dean area of England.
Current location: Old Bell Antiques, High Street, Lechlade, Gloucestershire, England.
- Attached to series:
- IB series
- Date & initials firebacks
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1097
Description: Rectangular; cavetto-moulded edging; [?]fillet frame parallel with edging; on top, central date between two groups of initials in triad, with six 'daisy heads' above; on each side, vertical line of at least four squared cross stamps; inside frame, four fleurs-de-lys between two oval 'buttons' on a rectangular base at least five 'daisy heads' in a vertical line on each side.
Notes: A significant fireback, it comprises decorative stamps from at least three series of firebacks produced in the Forest of Dean area, linking their production to the same (unidentified) ironworks. The attached grate is of 19th century construction. Leland Little auction, Hillsborough, North Carolina, 3 Mar 2018, lot 260, $400.
Inscription: THM [triad] 1669 THM [triad]
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- cavetto (edging)
- carved stamps
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- heraldic
- text
- objects
Manufactured: in 1669 in the Forest of Dean area of England.
Current location:, United States of America.
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862
Description: Canted rectangle; double fillet edging (top and sides); top centre, date between two flower heads; initials in triad, repeated on each side, with two fleurs-de-lys between; flower head below each initial group; small stamp of the figure of a stag below the date.
Notes: The initials are likely to be those of a husband (P) and wife (M) whose surname begins N. Illustration from Lenygon, p. 245.
Inscription: 1689 / PNM PNM [both triads]
- Decoration tags:
- canted rectangular (shape)
- double fillet (edging)
- carved stamps
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- heraldic
- text
- plants
Manufactured: in 1689 possibly in the Shropshire area of England.
Current location:.
Citation: Lenygon, F., 1914, Decoration in England (London, Batsford).
- Attached to series:
- Date & initials firebacks
- Ludlow series