Firebacks

Shape: rectangular with round arch

274 results

  1. 1257

    ticehurst,_authentic_reclamation_12_910x760.jpg
    910 x 760 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shape, edged with simulated twisted rope between two fillets; in the arch, a shield: argent on a chevron gules three roses of the field, a canton gules for difference; beneath the shield a crest: on a wreath a squirrel sejant gules cracking a nut gules, charged on the shoulder with a cross crosslet gold for difference; inscription split either side of the head of the squirrel.

    Notes: A finely modelled and cast modern fireback with the arms and crest of a direct descendant of John Davies Gilbert (1811-54) who had played a major role in the development of the town of Eastbourne and also developed Trelissick Garden in Feock, Cornwall.

    Inscription: A.D. 1969

    Arms: Gilbert, of Eastbourne, Sussex, and Trelissick, Cornwall

    Manufactured: in 1969 in England.

    Current location: Authentic Reclamation, Lymden Lane, Ticehurst, East Sussex, England.

  2. 348

    tiverton_castle_02.jpg
    940 x 770 mm

    Description: Composite; Arched rectangular shaped, armorial fireback, cavetto edging, with Stuart Royal arms, garter, supporters, crown and motto, and 1662 date above crown; this overlies a rectangular plate, with rope-effect, fillet edging; a pattern of four rosettes surrounding a fleur-de-lys, its stem terminating in a small buckle, is repeated on each side of the central armorial fireback, with the initials above; each rosette is stamped separately.

    Notes: A variant, bearing the same date, but the initials, A B, and without the rosettes, is at Norton Manor, Malmesbury, Wiltshire.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: 16 62 / C P / HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE / DIEV·ET·MON DROIT

    Arms: English Stuart royal

    Manufactured: in 1662 possibly in the Forest of Dean area of England.

    Current location: Tiverton Castle, Tiverton, Devon, England.

    (part of the Colchester & Ipswich Museums Service museum group)

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

  3. 299

    trefriw,_gwydir_castle_02.jpg
    762 x 650 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shape; gadrooned edging (top and sides); initials, in separate stamps, at top of arch; date probably in separate stamps, below; spindle used as a stamp repeated three times, one between date and initial stamps, the other two below to left and right.

    Notes: The same base board and spindle have been used for other firebacks of the same period. A similar casting (no. 1284) has the 'W' in a slightly different position.

    Inscription: I W / 16 22

    Manufactured: in 1622 possibly at Cuckfield Furnace in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Gwydir Castle, Trefriw, Conwy, Wales.

  4. 977

    unknown_100 800x590.jpg
    800 x 590 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shape; ovolo moulded edging; Tudor royal shield, garter, crown, motto and supporters (crowned lion and dragon), temp. Elizabeth I; initials in space on either side of top of garter; the top of the lion's crown and the dragon's ear overlap the edging.

    Notes: The initials have been added to an early recasting; another version has a rose and portcullis either side of the crown, and the top of the lion's crown and the dragon's ear do not overlap the edging.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: I G / [Garter] HONI SOIT QVI MAL E PENSE / [motto] DIEV ET MON DROIT

    Arms: Tudor royal

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

    Current location: not known.

  5. 1145

    unknown_101 macintosh arms 920x770.jpg
    920 x 770 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shape; stepped cavetto-moulded edging; shiled, suporters, helm, crest, mantling and motto of Clan MacIntosh

    Notes: Blazon: Quarterly, 1st, Or, a lion rampant, Gules, armed and langued, Azure (for MacDuff); 2nd, Argent, a dexter hand, couped, fessways, grasping a man’s heart, paleways, Gules; 3rd, Azure, a boar’s head, couped, armed, Proper, and langued, Gules; 4th, Or, a lymphad, sails furled, Azure, flagged and surmounted of her oars in saltire, Gules (for Clan Chattan). The motto means 'Don't touch the cat without a glove'.

    Inscription: TOUCH NOT THE CAT BOT A GLOVE

    Arms: Clan MacIntosh

    Manufactured: in the 20th century .

    Current location: not known.

  6. 1033

    unknown_111.jpg
    ~709 x ~596 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shaped; fillet edging with embattled relief inside; shield, helm, crest and mantling of the Blacksmiths' Company. RN monogram in top right corner.

    Notes: Arms of the Blacksmiths' company: Sable, a chevron Or between three hammers Argent and crowned with open crowns of the second; crest: a phoenix in flames rising proper. The arms were granted in 1611. Several different versions of these arms are to be found on firebacks. The attribution of this fireback to the series usually identified by the monogram RN is tentative, it being a copy and a substantial amount of surface detail imperfectly rendered.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Arms: Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths

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

    Current location: in private hands, not known.

  7. 1254

    unknown_112_buckingham_914x724.jpg
    914 x 724 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shape; twisted rope edging (top, and sides short of bottom), with shoulder edging extending into base of arch; upper centre, date '1602' slanting down to right; below date, initials 'IPD' in triad.

    Notes: The initials are likely to be those of a couple whose surname begins with 'P'.

    Inscription: 1602 / I P D [triad]

    Manufactured: in 1602 possibly in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: not known.

  8. 1157

    unknown_25_457_x_533_a.jpg
    457 x 533 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shape; ovolo-moulded edging; a shield with the arms of the Grocers' Company on a cartouche, surrounded by four sprays of olive leaves.

    Notes: The blazon of the arms is: Argent, a chev­ron gules between nine cloves six in chief and three in base proper. The arms were granted in 1532. The style of the fireback owes something to the design of French firebacks of the mid-17th century.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Arms: Worshipful Company of Grocers

    Manufactured: in the mid-17th century in England.

    Current location: not known.

  9. 819

    unknown_32 760x660.jpg
    760 x 660 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shape; cavetto moulding (top and sides); date in top corners; shield, supporters, coronet and motto of the Barony of Bergavenny.

    Notes: The arms are those of William Nevill, 16th Baron Bergavenny, of Kidbrooke Park, Forest Row, Sussex; the arms have been modified by the omission of the motto below the compartment.

    Inscription: 17 37

    Arms: William Nevill, 16th Baron Bergavenny

    Manufactured: in 1737 in the Weald area of England.

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

  10. 848

    unknown_40_850x640_altered_bw_lge.jpg
    ~920 x ~750 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shape with rounded corners; ovolo within fillet moulding all round; oval Tudor royal shield with garter surrounding, topped with a royal crown; dragon and greyhound supporters; initials split by crown; inscription on a fillet between legs of supporters, behind garter finial; motto on an Ionic plinth at bottom; two rectangular side panels, each with a bird stamp (probably a swan, a Lancastrian badge) above a vine strip stamp repeated three times vertically.

    Notes: One of two known variants of the John Harvo fireback incorporating extension panels with vine strips and 'swans'; the positions of the swans vary slightly between the two variants.

    Inscription: E R / HONY SOIT QUE MAL Y PAYNCE

    Arms: Tudor royal - prob. Edward VI

    Manufactured: in the mid- to late-16th century possibly at Pounsley Furnace, Framfield in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: not known.