Firebacks

Personal firebacks

15 results

  1. 982

    unknown_82 720x900.jpg
    720 x 900 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shape with demi-bullnose edging (top and sides); 'AD' curved in arch, with straight date below; central letter 'H' in the form of a horse's bit, with initials 'F' and 'J' respectively above and below; two lengths of rope with tasselled ends looped and tied symmetrically around the 'H' and on each side.

    Notes: A finely moulded personal fireback with an equestrian connection.

    Inscription: AD / 1909 / HFJ

    Manufactured: in 1909 in England.

    Current location: not known.

  2. 774

    va_49.jpg
    495 x 745 mm

    Description: Arched shape with bead edging; from top, large bead with four pairs of small beads in a cross shape, text with pellet surrounded by eight beads on each side of 'G', and at bottom.

    Notes: Made by, and bearing the initials of Eric Gill and his wife, Mary, in 1930.

    Inscription: E&M / G / MCM / XXX

    Manufactured: in 1930 at Loosley Row Foundry possibly in the Chilterns area of England.

    Current location: Victoria & Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, Kensington & Chelsea, Greater London, England.

    Museum number: M.4-1983 (part of the Victoria & Albert Museum museum group)

  3. 775

    va_50.jpg
    565 x 685 mm

    Description: Arched rectangle; ovol-moulded edging; pictorial scene of a begowned figure waving to figures standing beneath a portico with a sun behind, other figures opening a door to his left, above which is the shape of the man in the moon; blottom left, a computer; bottom right, a painter's palette.

    Notes: A farewell gift to William Vaughan, Reader in Art History at University College, London (later professor of the History of Art at Birkbeck College).

    Inscription: WILLIAM VAUGHAN / 1972 UNIVERSITY 1986 / COLLEGE

    Manufactured: in 1987 in England.

    Current location: Victoria & Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, Kensington & Chelsea, Greater London, England.

    Museum number: M.15-1994 (part of the Victoria & Albert Museum museum group)

  4. 588

    winchester_museum store 01.jpg
    905 x 740 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shape with semi-circular protrusions at the sides; cavetto-moulded edging; a pheon (a downward-pointing arrow head barbed on the inner edge) within a wreath, an earl’s coronet above; the date on either side of the coronet; the initials on left and right sides; a fleur de lys in each bottom corner.

    Notes: The detail of the wreath differs from that on the 1626 plate.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: 16 30 / R L

    Manufactured: in 1630 possibly at Robertsbridge Furnace, Salehurst in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Winchester Museums Store, Unit F2, Bar End Industrial Estate, Winchester, Hampshire, Winchester, Hampshire, England.

    Museum number: WINCM:LH 5704 (part of the Winchester Museums museum group)

  5. 802

    witley,_rake manor.jpg
    1048 x 940 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shaped; astragal edging (top and sides); mainly symmetrical vine arrangement, emerging from a vase, some fronds ending in an eagle’s head, other in leaves; at top of arch, initials ‘HB’ split by date (reversed) with an additional ‘I’; below, initials ‘AIS’ (reversed).

    Notes: Two planklines; ‘HB’ refers to Henry Bell, who acquired Rake Manor, Witley, in 1592. ‘AIS’ refers to Anthony Smith, his nephew and heir, and his wife, Joan (née Hore); the form of the date is confused by the addition of an ‘I’, and the somewhat clumsy arrangement of the inscription suggests that it was added to the otherwise foliate pattern priot to casting. The letter 'H' seems to belong to a different character set

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: H I0361B / AIS

    Manufactured: in 1630 possibly at Witley Park Furnace in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Rake Manor, Witley, Surrey, England.

    Citation: Giuseppi, M. S., 1903, 'Rake in Witley [etc.]', Surrey Archaeological Collections, 18, pp. 11-60.

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