Firebacks

Description: Arched rectangular shape; cyma curve and astragal edging; fleur de lys formed from acanthus leaves within a circlet, between swirled, budded fronds, all in bas-relief.

Notes: An uncommon English fireback with a purely floral design.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Description: Arched rectangular shape; twisted rope edging (top and sides); in arch, marquess's coronet above a monogram with date split either side.

Notes: The elaborate monogram has not been deciphered, but the fireback does not appear to be related to the Talbot family who owned Lacock throughout the 17th century.

Inscription: 16 [undeciphered monogram] 68

Description: Arched rectangular shape; astragal edging with parallel astragal enclosing a border of undulating convolvulus vine, leaves and flowers; bead and disc circle in arch, above a pair of lions rampant facing each other, between which are a five-pointed star above a rose.

Notes: A fireback in a retro-Regency style. Sotheby's auction, 27 Oct 2010, lot 209 (£2,500)

Copies of this fireback are known.

Description: Arched rectangular shape; fillet and cavetto moulded edging; pictorial scene of three children, the centre one holding a stick strung with a bunch of grapes over his shoulder, and sitting on a goat.

Notes: A mythological scene of the young Bacchus.

Description: Arched rectangular shape; fillet edging (top and sides); twisted rope cross in centre of arch; fillet-edged square below arch containing initials of uneven size; along the top, a line of five quatrefoils on each side of the initials; below, two symmetrically carved roundels and associated spandrels, each with a central flower.

Notes: The quatrefoils and roundels are likely to have been part of a redundant, probably medieval, furniture panel, perhaps from a chest. The life-size rubbing, reinforced with ink, is by W. R. Lethaby. The fireback was formerly property of the artist John Callcott Horsley RA (1817-1903) at Wilsley Green, Cranbrook, Kent.

Inscription: PC

Description: Rectangular central panel with top arch, bead edging; pictorial scene of a a kneeling man in a wide-brimmed hat reaching up the skirt of a milk maid, who in fending him off, leans forward, tipping the milk from the bucket on her head over the man; acanthus leaves over the top arch; side border with bead edging extending over shoulders of plate, surmounted by a floral vase each side; on top a floral vase between leaves.

Notes: Inscription on the back of the casting: 'Made from a casting lent to J. H. E[very] by Mr J. T. Ade of Hellingly'.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Description: Cavetto-arched rectangular central panel with bead-and-pellet edging, head and robed shoulders of a laureated man in left profile; cavetto-arched rectangular border with cavetto-moulded edging and arrangement of outward-facing acanthus leaves; on top, scallops on shoulders of border with cornucopiae over arch.

Notes: A pastiche of the 'Dutch' style of fireback. Formerly part of the J. H. Every collection.

Description: Rectangular with a square projection middle top; castellated top edging; top centre, stylised Calvary; upper section: pictorial scene, centre, house with tiled roof, windows, and chimney at each end, paths leading from house; left, possible forge building with four chimneys and three water wheels, and adjacent furnace stack?; above, shed with lean-to, barrow, and wheel structure, all between trees; right, figure of a man running towards the house, unidentified objects between trees; lower section: plain panel with central triple-grooved horizontal line.

Notes: A striking and unusual fireback with a scene suggesting a connection with iron-making. Formerly part of the J. H. Every collection.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Description: Arched rectangular shape: ovolo-moulded edging; pictorial scene of St George in armour, mounted on a horse, spearing a dragon which lies beneath the horse; in each top corner, a rose.

Notes: A portrayal of St George and the Dragon in bold relief that owes something to the famous modelling by Benedetto Pistrucci of 1817; however, the figure of St George is disproportionately large in relation to the horse.

Description: Fragment; rectangular shape; ovolo-moulded edging; image of an iron grate with barred front and integral andiron with iron or brass disc.

Notes: A unique example; it is not certain how the mould was formed, whether by impressing an actual grate or carving a pattern with the image of a grate; the former seems more likely.