Firebacks

Description: Rectangular; rope edge (top and sides); rose and crown within a shield, stamped twice, both inverted, down centre; rectangular stamp with dragon, twice, in top corners.

Notes: Three other firebacks bearing these stamps are known: one at Hadlow Down, Sussex, in private hands, and a second one at Hastings Museum with more of the same stamps and rope lengths; the present location of the third is not known.

Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and sides); narrow top panel and two narrow side panels, each separated by twisted rope; top panel with symmetrical inscription line begun and ended with a stamp formed of four spots in square, the same stamps separating the date, each of the initials and a central rose stamp, the date being repeated at each end; plain side panels; central panel comprising three shields bearing a rose and crown, one on the top line between two rectangles, each bearing a dragon passant, and two shields on the ends of the lower line with two dragons rectangles between, the bottom half of the plate is plain.

Notes: The shield and dragon stamps appear on two firebacks at Hastings Museum, in each of which the shields are inverted.

Inscription: 1567 HB AB 1567

Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging (top, and top two-thirds of sides); rectangular stamp with dragon passant, repeated six times: two in top corners; two in bottom corners, rotated left; two in middle, separated by two inverted shields bearing a rose and crown, placed vertically; across each top corner, a length of twisted rope.

Notes: The same stamps, though fewer in number and excluding the rope, can be seen on another fireback at Hastings, and also on a large fireback, dated 1567, at Hadlow Down, Sussex.