Firebacks

Miscellaneous royal firebacks

21 results

  1. 842

    atcham_01.jpg
    447 x 524 mm

    Description: Arched shape; cavetto-moulded edging invected on the inner edge; Tudor rose surmounted by a royal crown; monogram in bottom right corner.

    Notes: The monogram, RN, is associated with the invected cavetto moulding; a recasting, replicating an earlier crack.

    Inscription: RN

    Manufactured: in the early to mid 17th century in England.

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

    Museum number: EH ASC 4490 (part of the English Heritage museum group)

  2. 918

    bonhams_chester 20 nov 1013 lot 240 565x905.jpg
    690 x 640 mm

    Description: Rectangular with complex quasi-arched rectangular top; ovolo moulded edging; shield with Royal arms of France in a swirled cartouche, initials IT top centre; above, an English crown; below to right and left, a prancing stag.

    Notes: The combination of the English crown and French arms is common and may relate to the marriage of Charles I and Princess Henrietta Maria of France in 1625; although the framing of the pattern is very similar to others of the same basic design, the style suggests a different pattern maker. A variant of an otherwise identical fireback, with the addition of the date and initials. Bonhams sale, Chester, 25 July 2013, lot 257.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: IT / 16 [?]1

    Arms: France modern

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

    Current location:.

  3. 1087

    bramshill_house_03.jpg
    540 x 690 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shape; cavetto-moulded edging; central fouled anchor within a Garter surmounted by a ducal coronet; fructal swags to each side.

    Notes: The anchor may relate to the office of Lord High Admiral who, in the third quarter of the 17th century was James, Duke of York (afterwards King James II). Another example was sold at Christie's auction 12 Oct 2010 lot 109 (£500). A variant with a viscount's coronet is at Chastleton House, Oxfordshire.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE

    Manufactured: in the mid to late 17th century in England.

    Current location: Bramshill House, Bramshill, Hampshire, England.

  4. 220

    brighton,_preston manor 02.jpg
    880 x 532 mm

    Description: Rectangular with cavetto moulded edging; English Royal supporters (crowned lion and unicorn) standing upon a cartouche, upon which rests a blank motto scroll; above, an anchor, surrounded by a looped cable is encircled by the Garter ribbon, which is surmounted by a royal coronet; the numbers ‘61’, presumably part of the date, are to the right of the unicorn, and a letter, ‘D’, is placed between the unicorn and the coronet.

    Notes: From another casting of the same back, the date is known to be 1661. The cabled anchor is the badge of the Lord High Admiral who, in 1661, was the Duke of York and Albany, later James II. The missing initial is an ‘I’, for Jacobus Dux. The absence of the motto may be explained by the pattern being a carved armorial panel where the motto text, unlike that of the Garter, was merely painted.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: [I] D / 16 61

    Arms: Lord High Admiral of England

    Manufactured: in 1661 possibly in the Weald area of England.

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

    Museum number: PM400269 (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).

  5. 824

    christies_10-06-11 6359 710x650.jpg
    710 x 650 mm

    Description: Rectangular with complex quasi-arched rectangular top; ovolo moulded edging; shield with Royal arms of France in a swirled cartouche; above, an English crown; below to right and left, a prancing stag.

    Notes: The combination of the English crown and French arms is common and may relate to the marriage of Charles I and Princess Henrietta Maria of France in 1625; although the framing of the pattern is very similar to others of the same basic design, the style suggests a different pattern maker. Christie's auction 21 Jun 2011 lot 208 (£2,750).

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Arms: France modern

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

    Current location:.

  6. 1037

    criterion_auctions, bath, lot 168 10 sep 2016 350x420.jpg
    350 x 420 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shape; fillet edging; central rose with stem and two branches with leaves, surmounted by a crown.

    Notes: The rose is more naturalistic than heraldic. Criterion Auctions, Bath, 10 Sep 2016 lot 168.

    Manufactured: in the early to mid 17th century in England.

    Current location:.

  7. 269

    dawson_06a.jpg
    ~711 x ~686 mm

    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: The numerals are more typically 16th century in form than are found on copies produced from the late-19th century (see no. 178), suggesting this may be the original design; illustration from Dawson (1903).

    Inscription: 15 71 / T K; [English royal, and garter, mottoes].

    Manufactured: in 1571 in the Weald area of England.

    Current location:.

    Citation: Dawson, C., 1903, 'Sussex Iron Work and Pottery', Sussex Archaeological Collections, 46, pp. 1-54.

  8. 88

    hampton_court 02.jpg
    800 x 675 mm

    Description: Rectangular with triangular arch; stepped fillet edging; eleven columns of fleurs de lys, maximum seven in column, but varied according to space, with fleurs alternated for spacing.

    Notes: Whole pattern with five vertical planklines; a field of small fleurs de lys, France Ancient in royal heraldry, might suggest a continental origin.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Manufactured: in the late 16th to early 17th century possibly in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Hampton Court, Richmond, Greater London, England.

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

  9. 178

    hastings_065.jpg
    711 x 686 mm

    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.

  10. 398

    lewes,_sussex arch soc 032.jpg
    755 x 490 mm

    Description: Rectangular; cyma curve and fillet edging; crowned Tudor rose within a pediment resting on Tuscan pilasters and pedestals.

    Notes: The rose and crown are more finely modelled than other versions.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Manufactured: in the mid to late 16th century in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Anne of Cleves House, Southover High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, England.

    Museum number: LH000.942 (part of the Sussex Archaeological Society museum group)

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