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28
Description: Rectangular with pediment raised on inverted consoles; ovolo, egg and dart edging; shield, garter, helm, mantling, crest and motto of the English House of Stuart; date split either side of garter buckle.
Notes: One of several firebacks, all of the same date, but varying in size, framing style and moulding; all have stylistic features in common and will have been the work of the same pattern maker, who was also responsible for carving royal coats of arms in three West Country churches.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: HONY SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE / 16 18 / DIEV ET MON DROIT
Arms: English Stuart royal (James I)
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with pediment (shape)
- ovolo, egg and dart (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- armorial
- royal
- text
Manufactured: in 1618 possibly in the Forest of Dean area of England.
Current location: Bateman's, Burwash, East Sussex, England.
Museum number: NT/BAT/M/215 (part of the National Trust museum group)
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67
Description: Pediment and frieze resting on fluted Tuscan pilasters; plain podium base; rectangular central panel with double fillet edge divided into four with central panel containing initials; date in tympanum; narrow rectangular panels on each side from base to cornice.
Notes: An early example of the use of classical architectural elements in an English fireback.
Inscription: 1568 ER
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with pediment (shape)
- none (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- individual letters
- extension panels
- architectural
- text
Manufactured: in 1568 in the Weald area of England.
Current location: in private hands, Frant, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- 1568 Architectural series
- Date & initials firebacks
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117
Description: Rectangular with triangular pediment; stepped fillet and ogee moulded edge to pediment; twisted rope sides; date in portico; medallion with dog crest stamped twice in top left and right corners.
Notes: It may be that the date and portico form a separate panel, as the position of the date appears to be the same on the three known castings where it is found.
Inscription: 1586
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with pediment (shape)
- rope (edging)
- carved stamps
- date stamp
- text
- animals
Manufactured: in 1586 in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Hastings Museum and Art Gallery, John's Place, Bohemia Road, Hastings, East Sussex, England.
Museum number: HASMG: 1917.196.5 (part of the Hastings Museum museum group)
- Attached to series:
- 1586 series
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118
Description: Rectangular with triangular pediment; stepped fillet and ogee moulded edge; initials in rectangular panel (F reversed); date in portico.
Notes: The triangular top is a separate element, in this instance impressed before the lower panel. In a variant at Kensington it was positioned after. A version of this fireback, with a rope-edged panel in the lower part, and medallion stamps, can also be seen at Hastings. Formerly part of the Ade Collection (from Grove Hill, Hellingly, Sussex).
Inscription: 1586 F M
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with pediment (shape)
- stepped fillet and ogee (edging)
- individual letters
- date stamp
- text
Manufactured: in 1586 in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Hastings Museum and Art Gallery, John's Place, Bohemia Road, Hastings, East Sussex, England.
Museum number: HASMG: 1952.51.58 (part of the Hastings Museum museum group)
Citation: Lloyd, N., 1925, 'Domestic Ironwork I', Architectural Review, 58, pp. 58-67.
- Attached to series:
- 1586 series
- Date & initials firebacks
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186
Description: Plain rectangle with cavetto moulded edging (top and sides); pediment with same moulding.
Notes: Three identical backs, but with various stamps, indicate that this fireback came from the same source as a distinct series of Tudor heraldic backs. Formerly part of the Ade Collection (from Grove Hill, Hellingly, Sussex).
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with pediment (shape)
- cavetto (edging)
Manufactured: in the mid to late 16th century in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Hastings Museum and Art Gallery, John's Place, Bohemia Road, Hastings, East Sussex, England.
Museum number: HASMG: 1952.51.47 (part of the Hastings Museum museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Royal series
- Base boards
- Royal (wreath) series
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159
Description: Rectangular with ‘pediment’ arch linked by cavetto curves; fillet and cavetto edging; pictorial, a cylindrical furnace with inscribed stone courses, flames issuing from the top, with the heads of three people, a hand raised from two of them, and an angel with wings and arms outstretched; the furnace has a small arched opening bottom centre; above the angel, the inscription THE THREE CHILDREN is inscribed.
Notes: The scene represents Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego being delivered from the burning fiery furnace by the angel of God (Daniel 3), the phrase, The Three Children, being a reference to the eponymous apocryphal verses from the Book of Daniel.
Inscription: THE THREE CHILDREN
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with pediment (shape)
- cavetto (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- pictorial
- biblical
- architectural
- text
- humans
- objects
Manufactured: in the early to mid 17th century possibly in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Hastings Museum and Art Gallery, John's Place, Bohemia Road, Hastings, East Sussex, England.
Museum number: HASMG: 1913.58 (part of the Hastings Museum museum group)
Citation: Butterfield, W. R., 1916, 'Old Wealden Firebacks', The Connoisseur, 46, pp. 197-209.
Citation: Butterfield, W. R., 23 Feb 1935, 'A Scriptural Fireback', Hastings and St Leonards Observer.
Citation: Baines, J. M., 1958, Wealden Firebacks (Hastings Museum).
- Attached to series:
- Old Testament & Apocrypha firebacks
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338
Description: Rectangular with pediment; ovolo moulded edging inside top of pediment and inside top and sides of rectangle; centre top, four-petal rose and crown with fleur de lys below; at either end, stamps made from two parts of a wreath (the middle section missing) enclosing a fleur de lys.
Notes: The wreaths from which the stamps have been disassembled can be seen complete on two other firebacks, and the rose and crown is a common stamp on a large series of early firebacks.
Inscription: ?I T
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with pediment (shape)
- ovolo (edging)
- carved stamps
- individual letters
- heraldic
- text
- objects
Manufactured: in the late 16th century in the Weald area of England.
Current location: in private hands Burford, Oxfordshire, England.
- Attached to series:
- Royal series
- Royal (wreath) series
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402
Description: Rectangular with pediment and frieze resting on fluted Tuscan pilasters; plain podium base; rectangular central panel with double fillet edge divided into four with central panel containing initials; date in tympanum.
Notes: An early example of the use of classical architectural elements in an English fireback. Formerly part of the J. H. Every collection.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: [1]568 / ER
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with pediment (shape)
- none (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- architectural
- text
Manufactured: in 1568 in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Anne of Cleves House, Southover High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, England.
Museum number: 1944.24.062 (part of the Sussex Archaeological Society museum group)
- Attached to series:
- 1568 Architectural series
- Date & initials firebacks
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672
Description: Rectangular with pediment; ovolo moulded edging inside top of pediment and inside top and sides of rectangle; central talbot crest within wreath and eight-pointed star, between four fleurs-de-lys.
Notes: The wreath and talbot crest are identical to those on a 1584 fireback in the Victoria & Albert Museum; one of the ‘Royal’ series.
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with pediment (shape)
- ovolo (edging)
- carved stamps
- heraldic
- animals
Manufactured: in the late 16th century in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Middle House Hotel, High Street, Mayfield, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Royal series
- Royal (wreath) series
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689
Description: Rectangular with pediment; ovolo moulded edging inside top of pediment and inside top and sides of rectangle; centre top, four-petal rose and crown with three fleurs-de-lys below; at either end, stamps made from two parts of a wreath (the middle section missing); in the pediment a cross.
Notes: The wreaths from which the stamps have been disassembled can be seen complete on two other firebacks, and the rose and crown is a common stamp on a large series of early firebacks.
Inscription: I T
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with pediment (shape)
- cavetto (edging)
- carved stamps
- individual letters
- heraldic
- royal
- text
- objects
Manufactured: in the late 16th century in the Weald area of England.
Current location: in private hands, Slaugham, West Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Royal series
- Royal (wreath) series