Firebacks

series

30 results

  1. 651

    bridgewater_collection 02.jpg
    530 x 430 mm

    Description: Rectangular; cavetto edging; a left-facing cockerel grasps a snake in its beak, another snake writhes on the ground behind it; date to left of the cockerel’s tail; four vertical planklines.

    Notes: The design may have religious significance, the snake symbolising sin and the cockerel denoting St Peter’s denial of Christ. The ‘1’ of the date is hooked, suggesting a common source with firebacks designed by the pattern-maker, IM.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: 1652

    Manufactured: in 1652 possibly at Brede Furnace in the Weald area of England.

    Current location:.

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

  2. 1001

    broadway,_ashmolean museum 03.jpg
    455 x 700 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular panel with a Salomonic column on each side enclosing a scene of Abraham about to sacrifice Isaac but being restrained by an angel; below, bottom panel of indeterminate decoration (due to corrosion); above each column a burning torch, with symmetrical floriate scrolls over the arch.

    Notes: Given the biblical subject, this is probably of German manufacture although the Salomonic columns are more often encountered on English pastiches of the 'Dutch' style.

    Manufactured: in the late 17th to early 18th century possibly in the Siegerland area of Germany.

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

    (part of the Ashmolean Museum museum group)

  3. 21

    burwash,_batemans 01.jpg
    695 x ?975 mm

    Description: Rectangular central panel with bead edging all round, pictorial representation of the Annunciation by the Angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary, the angel carries a lily, Mary kneels at a desk, between them is a basket, above them a dove descends from clouds amid sunbeams, to the left is an arch, in the centre a bed, and to the right a window and a canopy; above the panel is a bead-edged arch with a central scallop shell and a floral swag suspended from scrolls; arched rectangular shaped border with fillet edging, a cascade of leaves and fruit (inc. apples, grapes, pears and pomegranates) descending from a wreath, at the base two cartouches conjoined by a scallop shell and containing the inscription; on top a scallop shell between two dolphins.

    Notes: Whole pattern. A common fireback design originating in the Siegerland of north Germany and made for the Dutch market. A good clear casting. The illustration is probably drawn from V. Solis, 'Biblische Figuren'.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: ANNO 1667

    Manufactured: in 1667 in the Siegerland area of Germany.

    Current location: Bateman's, Burwash, East Sussex, England.

    Museum number: NT/BAT/M/8 (part of the National Trust museum group)

    Citation: Herskamp, W, 2007, Die Eiserne Bibel (Helios, Aachen).

  4. 843

    ilkley,_old manor house.jpg
    665 x 655 mm

    Description: Canted rectangular shape; double fillet edging (top and sides) with alternating roses and diamonds between the fillets; pictorial scene of Adam and Eve, both naked, taking fruit from the Tree of Knowledge, between them, around which is entwined the serpent.

    Notes: Boldly sculpted, stylised figures; the serpent is shown with a human face.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Manufactured: in the late 16th to early 17th century possibly in the Lorraine area of France.

    Current location: Old Manor House, Ilkley, West Yorkshire, England.

    (part of the Bradford Museums and Art Galleries museum group)

  5. 408

    lewes,_sussex arch soc 042.jpg
    580 x 480 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shape; cavetto moulded edge all round; holes pierced in top corners; a fouled anchor with one fluke resting on the base, a scroll below each top corner, foliage above the text, which is above the anchor; the initials either side of the lower fluke.

    Notes: The inscription is a quotation from Psalms 139, v. 1: ‘Domine, probasti me et cognovisti me’ (Lord, thou hast searched me and known me).

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: PROBASTI / ME / I M 16 5[0?]

    Manufactured: in the mid 17th century possibly at Brede Furnace in the Weald area of England.

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

    Museum number: LH000.908 (part of the Sussex Archaeological Society museum group)

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

    Citation: Hodgkinson, J. S., 2014, 'A Seventeenth-Century Sussex Woodcarver: The Evidence of Cast Ironwork', Regional Furniture, 28, pp. 39-48.

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

  6. 413

    lewes,_sussex arch soc 047.jpg
    360 x 605 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular central panel with bead edging; standing figure of Abraham about to sacrifice a kneeling Isaac, Abraham's raised right hand holding a sword is retrained by an angel; behind Abraham is a ram; initials are placed in a triangle above behind and in front of the group; arched rectangular border with fillet edging and descending floral and fruit bunches on a ribbon, hanging from rings, foliate swirls at base; vases on rectangle shoulders and at top, between two putti

    Notes: The initials appear to have been added subsequently.

    Inscription: B / E A

    Manufactured: in the mid to late 17th century possibly in the Siegerland area of Germany.

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

    Museum number: LH000.946 (part of the Sussex Archaeological Society museum group)

  7. 424

    lewes,_sussex arch soc 059.jpg
    590 x 920 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular central panel with bead edging terminating at the top in two loops, gather drapery and a scallop shell; two figures to the right, both bearded, the one kneeling wears cavalry armour, a cloak and a crown, the other stands behind; to the left is a sacrificial pyre on which an ox carcass burns, and above an angel carrying a sword in his right hand and a skull in his left; around this is an arched rectangular border with fillet edging and a repeated leaf pattern; on top is a scallop shell between two dolphins.

    Notes: The scene illustrates the visitation of the pestilence on Israel described in 2 Samuel 24, and the sacrifice of an oxen by King David; the skull borne by the angel represents the death of those struck down by the plague. A slightly different version has the face of David looking down. Formerly part of the J. H. Every collection.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Manufactured: in the mid to late 17th century in the Siegerland area of Germany.

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

    Museum number: 1944.24.070 (part of the Sussex Archaeological Society museum group)

    Citation: Schubert, H. R., 1957, History of the British Iron and Steel Industry (London, Routledge), pp. 256-264.

  8. 481

    maresfield,_putmans farm 01.jpg
    478 x 445 mm

    Description: Rectangular; cavetto edging all round; seated lion on right, its tail rising above its back and its head turned to face the viewer; a seated sheep on the left; at the bottom, a plain rectangular extension panel; date split across top.

    Notes: Intended to represent the saying, ‘The lion shall lie down with the lamb’, a popular misquotation of Isaiah 11: 6.

    Manufactured: in 1679 in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: in private hands, Maresfield, East Sussex, England.

  9. 489

    michelham_003.jpg
    715 x 1003 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular central panel with additional arch above; bead and fillet edging; pictorial scene of Solomon, rising from a scallop-backed, canopied throne, greeting the Queen of Sheba, with other figures in attendance; identical shaped border with cavetto-moulded edging; a vase on top with descending swags of drapery; at the sides, overlapping bunches of foliage suspended from ribbon bows; at the bottom, a central cartouche between fruit bunches; on top, a pomegranate with a descending serpent on each side, and a pomegranate on each shoulder of the plate.

    Notes: Several contemporary paintings are of similar scenes; this design may have been derived from any of them.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Manufactured: in the mid to late 17th century in the Siegerland area of Germany.

    Current location: Michelham Priory, Arlington, East Sussex, England.

    (part of the Sussex Archaeological Society museum group)

  10. 545

    pet-m-100.jpg
    594 x 817 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular central panel with canted top corners and bead-on-fillet edging; pictorial scene of Jesus at the well with the woman of Samaria; arched rectangular border with fillet edging; on top, central scallop shell with a descending dolphin on each side of the arch.

    Notes: A scene from the New Testament - John 4.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Manufactured: in the mid to late 17th century in the Siegerland area of Germany.

    Current location: Petworth House, Petworth, West Sussex, England.

    Museum number: NT/PET/M/100 (part of the National Trust museum group)