Firebacks

Shape: rectangular

292 results

  1. 615

    ripley_027.jpg
    855 x 500 mm

    Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and sides); two irregularly spaced crosses formed of short, thick twisted lengths of rope.

    Notes: The crosses may have been formed by twisting thinner rope around a short length of dowel, and are likely to have Christian significance.

    Manufactured: in the 16th century possibly in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Mark Ripley Forge & Fireplaces, Northbridge Street, Robertsbridge, East Sussex, England.

  2. 616

    ripley_028.jpg
    1060 x 610 mm

    Description: Rectangular; ovolo-moulded edging (top and sides); date (in two parts) split across upper part of plate.

    Notes: A recasting

    Inscription: 17 25

    Manufactured: in 1725 possibly in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Mark Ripley Forge & Fireplaces, Northbridge Street, Robertsbridge, East Sussex, England.

  3. 619

    ripley_032.jpg
    740 x 530 mm

    Description: Rectangular; astragal edging; leopard passant guardant sinister canted, facing a leopard passant, with a crowned shield between bearing the initials, KH, above a fleur-de-lys.

    Notes: One of the Royal series with uncommonly few stamps.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: KH

    Manufactured: in the mid 16th century in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Mark Ripley Forge & Fireplaces, Northbridge Street, Robertsbridge, East Sussex, England.

  4. 623

    ripley_038.jpg
    675 x 560 mm

    Description: Rectangular; ovolo moulded edging (top and sides); at top, date split by initials (with dot between).

    Notes: A bold, elegant plate with characters in high relief. The character set is known to have been used for another fireback cast at Heathfield Furnace, Sussex. Sold at Christie's Masters and Makers auction, 30 November 2010, lot 521 (£1000 part with no. 601, no. 637 and no. 634).

    Inscription: 17 I·P 54

    Manufactured: in 1754 at Heathfield Furnace in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: not known.

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

  5. 624

    ripley_039.jpg
    470 x 370 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; 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.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: 1679

    Manufactured: in 1679 in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Mark Ripley Forge & Fireplaces, Northbridge Street, Robertsbridge, East Sussex, England.

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

  6. 628

    ripley_045.jpg
    665 x 360 mm

    Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and sides); twisted rope length stamped eight times in a mirrored double rhombus pattern with a central cross; a crude human figurine stamped irregularly four times, two on each side of the rope design.

    Notes: An uncharacteristically small fireback for its likely period.

    Manufactured: in the mid to late 16th century possibly in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Mark Ripley Forge & Fireplaces, Northbridge Street, Robertsbridge, East Sussex, England.

    Citation: Easton, T. & Hodgkinson, J. S., 2013, 'Apotropaic Symbols on Cast-Iron Firebacks', Jnl. of the Antique Metalware Soc., 21, pp. 14-33.

  7. 634

    ripley_054.jpg
    558 x 360 mm

    Description: Rectangular; astragal and fillet moulding on top and side edges; symmetrical layout of date and initials; date split between left and right sides, initials in middle.

    Notes: One of a series of backs dating to the 1730s and 40s using very similar sets of letters and numerals. Sold at Christie's Masters and Makers auction, 30 November 2010, lot 521 (£1000 part lot with no. 601, no. 623 and no. 637).

    Inscription: 17 RM 39

    Manufactured: in 1739 in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: not known.

  8. 637

    ripley_057.jpg
    590 x 600 mm

    Description: Rectangular; astragal and fillet edging; date across top of plate.

    Notes: One of a series of backs dating to the 1730s and 40s using very similar sets of letters and numerals. Sold at Christie's Masters and Makers auction, 30 November 2010, lot 521 (£1000 part lot with no. 601, no. 623 and no. 634).

    Inscription: 1736

    Manufactured: in 1736 in the Weald area of England.

    Current location:, not known.

  9. 304

    ripley_059.jpg
    851 x 597 mm

    Description: Rectangular; cavetto-moulded edging; English royal Stuart shield, garter, crown, supporters and motto.

    Notes: One of many designs of the Stuart royal arms on firebacks. A recasting, hence the illegible motto. Sold at Christie's Masters and Makers auction, 30 November 2010, lot 517 (£1,875).

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE / DIEV ET MON DROIT

    Arms: English Stuart royal

    Manufactured: in the 17th century in England.

    Current location: Suffolk House Antiques, High Street, Yoxford, Suffolk, England.

  10. 640

    ripley_060.jpg
    650 x 470 mm

    Description: Rectangular; ovolo-moulded edging (top and sides); repeated guilloche pattern inside top and side edges; upper centre, lozenge stamp with ovolo edges and recessed daisy flower in centre, between buckle stamps repeated twice.

    Notes: The lozenge stamp is a design also seen on domestic interior panelling; the buckles suggest a Pelham family association; the buckle and lozenge are separate stamps, and in each example their relative positions differ slightly; the guilloche design appears to have been carved on the base panel; an example at The Star Inn, Alfriston, Sussex measures 665mm x 480mm.

    Manufactured: in the early to mid 17th century in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Mark Ripley Forge & Fireplaces, Northbridge Street, Robertsbridge, East Sussex, England.