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297
Description: Arched rectangular shape; wide fillet edging with alternate bead and pellet on top and sides, the pellets rotated over the arch where they are separated in triplets by blocks; shield, helm, crest and mantling of Saunderson, with a strapwork compartment at the bottom; initials split by wreath; date split by crest.
Notes: The arms are probably those of Thomas Saunderson of Gainsborough (c.1568- before 1642).
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: 16 19 / T S
Arms: Thomas Saunderson of Gainsborough
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with round arch (shape)
- fillet (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- armorial
Manufactured: in 1619 in England.
Current location: Museum of Lincolnshire Life, Burton Road, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England.
(part of the Lincolnshire County Council museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Personal armorial firebacks
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1284
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. 299) has the 'W' in a slightly different position. Formerly at Warnham Court, Sussex.
Inscription: I W / 16 22
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with round arch (shape)
- gadrooned (edging)
- simple stamps
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- text
- objects
Manufactured: in 1622 possibly at Cuckfield Furnace in the Weald area of England.
Current location: not known.
Citation: Gardner, J. S., 1898, 'Iron Casting in the Weald', Archaeologia, 56, 1, pp. 133-164.
- Attached to series:
- Spindle series
- Spindle/distaff firebacks
- Date & initials firebacks
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900
? x ? mmDescription: Low stepped-arched rectangular shape; ovolo-moulded edging; central shield backed by a cartouche, surrounded by grape bunches, vines and leaves.
Notes: Arms of the Worshipful Company of Vintners - sable, a chevron between three tuns argent - were granted in 1442. From a photograph in the J. Starkie Gardner Collection, Victoria & Albert Museum, Archive of Art and Design (AAD/2014/8).
Arms: Worshipful Company of Vintners
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with round arch (shape)
- ovolo (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- armorial
- plants
- objects
Manufactured: in the early- to mid-17th century in England.
Current location: not known.
- Attached to series:
- Livery company firebacks
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1281
Description: Composite; arched rectangular shaped, armorial fireback, cavetto edging, with Stuart Royal arms, garter, supporters, crown and motto, and 1639 date above crown; this overlies a rectangular plate with fillet edging; top centre in the space each side of the central shield, an initial letter - W to left, C to right.
Notes: One of several variants using a fireback with the English Stuart royal arms, the date probably altered according to when it was cast. The original date of the fireback was probably 1619. Garth's Auctioneers, Columbus, OH, 3 Jan 2015, lot 2347 ($300).
Inscription: 1639 / W C
Arms: English Stuart royal
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with round arch (shape)
- fillet (edging)
- carved stamps
- whole carved pattern
- composite
- extension panels
- heraldic
- armorial
- royal
- text
Manufactured: in 1639 possibly in the Forest of Dean area of England.
Current location: not known.
- Attached to series:
- Stuart arms composite series
- Stuart royal armorial firebacks
- Composite firebacks
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898
Description: Arched rectangular; ovolo-moulded egg and dart edging; shield surmounted by helm and indistinct crest, with elaborate mantling.
Notes: Blazon (bordure bezanty impaling a chevron between three bugle horns) is unidentified. The date of c.1730 suggested by Gentle and Feild is unlikely to be correct.
Arms: Not known
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with round arch (shape)
- ovolo, egg and dart (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- armorial
Manufactured: in the early- to mid-17th century in England.
Current location: not known.
- Attached to series:
- Personal armorial firebacks
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303
Description: Rectangle with curved shoulders and low arch joined with concave curves; fillet and ogee moulded edging; central Tudor royal shield surrounded by garter, with crown above and lion and dragon supporters; royal initials either side of crown.
Notes: Damaged on bottom left corner; the garter motto includes ‘EQVI’ instead of ‘HONI’, making it meaningless; possibly ‘EQVI’ was a mis-transcription of ‘HONI’; the crown is distinctly continental in form; a much-copied fireback. Previously at Hoarthorns Farm, West Dean, Gloucestershire, where another fireback of the same design was recovered from a pond and is now at the Forestry Commission camp site at Christchurch, near Coleford.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: E R / EQVI : SOIT : QVI : MAL : Y : PENSE
Arms: Tudor royal - Edward VI or Elizabeth I
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with round arch (shape)
- fillet and ogee (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- planklines
- armorial
- royal
- text
Manufactured: in the mid- to late-16th century possibly in the Forest of Dean area of England.
Current location: Gloucester Folk Museum, Westgate street, Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England.
Museum number: GLRCM:F03526 (part of the Gloucester Museums museum group)
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70
Description: Arched rectangular shape; simulated twisted rope edging (top & sides); symmetrical arrangement of fleurs de lys (two types - 2 and 1), diamond shapes (2) and cross-cut squares (4) includes the monogram in which the letters I and F are separated by a small, hollow diamond stamp, the M being above; interspersed symmetrical arrangement of raised spots (8).
Notes: The initials, as with other triple-lettered forms, in which the middle letter is set apart from the other two, may relate to a married couple where their surname initial is M. Another example seen has shown that the pattern was formed of five angular, uneven-sized planks battened together.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: 1613 / M / I F
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with round arch (shape)
- simulated rope (edging)
- simple stamps
- carved stamps
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- planklines
- heraldic
- text
Manufactured: in 1613 in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Godalming Museum, Godalming, Surrey, England.
Museum number: B980.400 (part of the Godalming Museum museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Diamond series
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71
Description: Fragment; upper half of an arched rectangular shaped fireback; fillet edging; divided into two halves; left half - naked female figure of Truth holding scales in right hand, surrounded by motto ribbon bearing the text: HET IS V EEN SCHADE DAT TROVE IS LICHTER DAN EEN PLV; right half - naked female figure of Vigilance, a bird seated on her right hand, and with two dogs on leads held in her left hand, surrounded by a motto ribbon bearing the text: ICH IAGE OM DIE VINDEN OFT ICH TROVE KONDE VINDEN; initials between scales; date divided by cross of an orb forming the centre of the four intended panels.
Notes: The complete fireback has four figures (clockwise from top left) representing Truth, Vigilance (both naked), Indifference and Perfidy (both clothed).
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: SG 1598 HET IS V EEN SCHADE DAT TROVE IS LICHTER DAN EEN PLV / ICH IAGE OM DIE VINDEN OFT ICH TROVE KONDE VINDEN
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with round arch (shape)
- fillet (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- individual numbers
- allegorical
- text
- animals
- humans
- objects
Manufactured: in 1598 possibly in the Lorraine area of Germany.
Current location: Godalming Museum, Godalming, Surrey, England.
Museum number: B980.407 (part of the Godalming Museum museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Virtues and Faults firebacks
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1292
Description: Arched rectangular shape; Greek Key border with fillet edges; in high relief, in front of swagged drapery, the shield of, quarterly, France quartering England, Scotland and Ireland, surrounded by a Garter, and surmounted by a ducal coronet; below, the inscription in capitals.
Notes: The use of the Greek Key design as a border is believed to be unique for an English fireback. Although somewhat indistinct, the use of the Stuart royal arms and the ducal coronet can be explained by the fact that the fireback was one of a group cast for the 2nd Duke of Richmond, whose father, the 1st duke, was the illegitimate son of Charles II and Louise de Kéroualle. The Richmond arms were differenced from the Stuart royal arms by the addition of a bordure compony (the detail of which is not distinct on this casting). Sowley Furnace, near Beaulieu in Hampshire, was owned in 1732 by John, 2nd Duke of Montagu, and was let to Miles Troughton. An identical fireback also at Goodwood is dated 1731 and a similar, but smaller, variant of this fireback, is dated 1732.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE / SOWLEY MDCCXXX
Arms: Duke of Richmond
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with round arch (shape)
- fillet (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- heraldic
- armorial
- royal
- text
Manufactured: in 1730 at Sowley Furnace, Beaulieu in the New Forest area of England.
Current location: Goodwood House, Westhampnett, West Sussex, England.
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72
Description: Arched rectangular shape with stepped angles; twisted rope edging (top and sides); small flower bud stamp repeated inside edging, with ‘pineapple’ stamp repeated inside; lower part comprises three concentric half-rectangles formed from undulating vine strips and repeated ‘pineapple’ stamp; above, three vertical vine strips with parallel ‘pineapple’ stamps, human face stamps above them; two diagonal vine strips below the vertical strips.
Notes: A most remarkable fireback, incorporating stamps seen on other firebacks.
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with round arch (shape)
- rope (edging)
- simple stamps
- carved stamps
- humans
- plants
- objects
Manufactured: in the late-16th century possibly at Pounsley Furnace, Framfield in the Weald area of England.
Current location: in private hands, Grayswood, Surrey, England.
- Attached to series:
- Pounsley series
- Vine strip series
- Furniture stamp firebacks
- Figurine firebacks