Firebacks

Shape: rectangular

329 results

  1. 1022

    burford,_tolsey museum a.jpg
    685 x 535 mm

    Description: Rectangular, with double fillet edging (top and sides); fillets parallel to top and to each side, dividing the plate into two square corner panels and narrow rectangular panels along top and down each side; fillet arc across inside top corners; date split between top corners, divided by vertical fillets, and separated by a hollow saltire stamp repeated six times; one hollow saltire, with a central bead, between each corner arc; eight similar saltire stamps down each side panel; 27 'daisy heads' arranged regularly around outer edge of central panel, with five saltires arranged in a cross shape in the centre.

    Notes: The arc shape and use of repeated 'daisy heads' suggests a common source with other firebacks of the same period; the poor definition is due to insufficient impression at the moulding stage.

    Inscription: 17 02

    Manufactured: in 1702 in the Forest of Dean area of England.

    Current location: Tolsey Museum, 126 High Street, Burford, Oxfordshire, England.

    (part of the Tolsey Museum, Burford museum group)

  2. 202

    burlington_house_1894_03a.jpg
    887 x 580 mm

    Description: Rectangular; edging formed from furniture moulding; shield of Ayloffe impaling Sulyard impressed weakly seven times (2-3-2), with the same shield impressed eight times (3-2-3), more deeply, in the spaces between the first shields.

    Notes: William Ayloffe (c1535-1584) of Hornchurch, Essex, Justice of the Court of Queen’s Bench, married (c1560) Jane, dau. of Sir Eustace Sulyard, of Runwell, Essex. A large number of variants use the same shields. Several copies are known of this fireback, but in precisely the same arrangement, all poorly cast, unlike the variants without the additional shields, which are found in many different arrangements, some with dates and initials. From an illustration in the catalogue of an exhibition on heraldry at Burlington House, London, in 1894, it then being at Manor Farm, Edenbridge, Kent.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Arms: Ayloffe impaling Sulyard (William Ayloffe of Bretons, Hornchurch)

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

    Current location: not known.

    Citation: Cowper, H. S., 1911, 'A Series of Kentish Heraldic Firebacks and the Identification of the Arms', Archaeologia Cantiana, 29, pp. 40-6.

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

  3. 29

    burwash,_batemans 07c.jpg
    897 x 490 mm

    Description: Rectangular; cavetto moulded edging; initials in top left corner; date in top right corner.

    Notes: The style of lettering and numerals is reminiscent of those seen on firebacks associated with the Sidneys, Earls of Leicester, and may suggest a common source.

    Inscription: IB 1695

    Manufactured: in 1695 possibly in the Weald area of England.

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

    Museum number: 761128 (part of the National Trust museum group)

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

  4. 31

    burwash,_wealden iron crafts.jpg
    >600 x 660 mm

    Description: Fragment; rectangular plate with series of parallelogrammatic billets arranged across the top; crossed billets in corners

    Manufactured: possibly in the Weald area of England.

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

  5. 621

    butleigh_court tower.jpg
    790 x 710 mm

    Description: Rectangular; ovolo moulded edging (top and sides); central shield, crest and mantling of the Fuller family. The date, of which the 1 is not visible, is split between the top corners of the shield and about two-thirds of the way down.

    Notes: A carved armorial on a plain, edged base board; the arms of the Fullers of Brightling Park, Sussex, are: Argent, three bars and a canton gules; the crest; Out of a ducal coronet Or, a lion’s head argent. The Fullers were iron masters and gun founders in the first half of the 18th century, operating Heathfield furnace, where it is likely that this fireback was cast.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: [1] 7 / 4 7

    Arms: Fuller, of Brightling, Sussex

    Manufactured: in 1747 probably at Heathfield Furnace in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: in private hands, Butleigh, Somerset, England.

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

  6. 1121

    buxted,_old popeswood cottage.jpg
    1110 x 550 mm

    Description: Rectangular shape; cavetto-moulded edging; central abstract arrangement in low relief of a horizontally positioned oval surrounded by four separated spandrels forming a rectangular shape over all; at each side, on a raised rectangular field, a stylised bud or cone of helical form, within a calyx above a semi-circular base, one mirroring the other. A deep plankline is evident half way up the left plant.

    Notes: An excrescence on the right side may have been caused by iron being poured from a ladle disturbing the casting sand. There are no parallels for this fireback design. The central abstract arrangement may be associated with a formal plan of a garden parterre, the stylised plants continuing that theme.

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

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

  7. 221

    buxted,_ridgeway.jpg
    665 x 455 mm

    Description: Rectangular; plain plate; inscription in capitals split between top corners, ‘I’ crossed.

    Notes: The letters are likely to have been formed by tracing their shape in the casting sand using a pointed implement.

    Inscription: I R

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

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

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

  8. 223

    cardiff,_st fagans 01.jpg
    1155 x 912 mm

    Description: Rectangular; cavetto with double fillet edging; two side panels each separated by twisted rope, and each containing six fleurs de lys arranged vertically; top panel separated by twisted rope, containing inscription; central panel with lion’s head between two fleurs de lys.

    Notes: A late example of the use of individual carved stamps; from Heol Ddu Isaf, Bargoed, acquired by the National Museum of Wales in 1922.

    Inscription: WLA [triad] 1714 WLA [triad]

    Manufactured: in 1714 possibly in the South Wales area of Wales.

    Current location: National History Museum, St Fagans, Glamorgan, Wales.

    Museum number: 21.31 (part of the Welsh National History Museum museum group)

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

  9. 232

    cardiff,_st fagans 09.jpg
    600 x 710 mm

    Description: Rectangular shape with bottom corners missing; no edging; central shield, helm, crest and mantling of the Lewis family: quarterly 1st, sable a lion rampant argent (Lewis of Y Fan), 2nd, sable a chevron between three fleurs de lys or (Einon ap Collwyn), 3rd gules three chevronels argent(Iestyn ap Gwrgan), 4th, sable a chevron between three spear heads argent embrued gules (Bleddyn ap Maenyrch); initials split by armorial stamp (’E’ over-stamped); date, formed from single numerals, below arms.

    Notes: The arms are those of Sir Edward Lewis, of Van, who purchased St Fagans Castle in 1616. The same armorial stamp was used to model the arms on a lead cistern outside the front door of the castle. It is possible that this fireback was cut down from a larger fireback.

    Inscription: E L 1620

    Arms: Sir Edward Lewis of Van

    Manufactured: in 1620 in the South Wales area of Wales.

    Current location: National History Museum, St Fagans, Glamorgan, Wales.

    Museum number: 48.354/84 (part of the Welsh National History Museum museum group)

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

    Citation: Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales, 1981, An Inventory of Ancient Monuments of Glamorgan Vol IV Part 1: Domestic Architecture from the Reformation to the Industrial Revolution: the Greater Houses (Cardiff, HMSO).

  10. 1070

    cardiff,_st fagans 18.jpg
    ? x ? mm

    Description: Rectangular; ovolo-moulded edging; two fleurs-de-lys arranged vertically top left and top right; top centre, date; below date, initials WEI in triad.

    Notes: Said to have been made by George White, iron founder, of Monmouth. Formerly from Newport, Monmouthshire.

    Inscription: 1668 / W E I [triad]

    Manufactured: in 1668 possibly at Tintern Furnace in the Forest of Dean area of Wales.

    Current location: National History Museum, St Fagans, Glamorgan, Wales.

    Museum number: 25.21 (part of the Welsh National History Museum museum group)

    Citation: Kissack, K., 2003, Monmouth and its Buildings (Almeley, Logaston Press).