Firebacks

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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].

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.

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

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.