Firebacks

Description: Canted rectangular shape; braided rope edging (top and sides); top centre, initials 'TSE' in triad, above centred date.

Notes: The use of braided rope edging is unusual. The fireback was formerly in a house in Westmoreland associated with the Salkeld family.

Inscription: TSE [triad] / 1612

Description: Canted rectangle; cavetto moulded edging (top and sides); single horizontal fillet below canted corners and vertical fillet parallel to each side, dividing the fireback into two side panels, two top corner panels, top panel and main central panel; corner panels, lion passant stamp, left facing in right corner, right facing in left corner; top panel, date between fleurs-de-lys; side panels, suspended vine stamp repeated each side; centre panel, flower stamp in each top corner.

Notes: The lion stamps and design elements (canted shape, vertical and horizontal divisions) are identical to those on similar firebacks dated to the first decade of the 18th century, and indicate a common source.

Inscription: 1699

Description: Canted rectangle; fillet edging (top and sides); date to full width across centre of plate.

Notes: Bold, evenly-spaced numerals.

Inscription: 1680

Description: Canted rectangle; twisted rope edging; date along the top; initials in triad across the middle; fleur-de-lys stamp repeated eight times down each side, pointing to the side or up in the order (from the top): side (2), then alternately, up first.

Notes: The initials probably represent those of a married couple, the 'H' for their surname; it is unusual for twisted rope edging to continue along the bottom of the plate.

Inscription: 1626 / RHL

Description: Canted rectangle with twisted rope edging; uneven, individually stamped letters and numerals, the initials separating the two parts of the date, which are raised slightly higher; dots are stamped on each side of each half of the date and between the initials; a twisted rope saltire at each end of the inscription.

Notes: The plate above the inscription is a repair, as are the rivets either side of the crack.

Inscription: ·16· M · N ·59·

Description: Rectangular, with canted top corners; twisted rope edging (top and sides only); five shields of Ayloffe impaling Sulyard in two rows, 3-2; Ayloffe: sable, a lion rampant Or, collared gules, between three crosses formy of the second; Sulyard: argent, a chevron gules between three pheons inverted sable. Two cut notches probably for firedogs.

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. The excrescences affecting the left and right sides respectively of the lower shields are the result of inexpert ladling of the iron during casting. Part of the bequest to the Victoria and Albert Museum by Lieut. Colonel G. B. Croft-Lyons in 1926.

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

Description: Rectangular with canted top corners; twisted rope edging all round except base: plain plate with two stamps of an iron firedog with twisted neck and shield bearing letters HN and crossed staples; firedogs have columnar capitals; fleur de lys stamp repeated six times, singly at each end, in star pattern in middle; stamps have twisted wreaths.

Notes: The initials HN probably refer to Henry Nevill, the crossed staples being a badge of the Nevill family. Henry Nevill occupied Mayfield furnace from about 1585 until 1599. One of two variants (see no. 393) with the same firedogs and fleurs-de-lys; other firedogs in a very similar style are known.

Inscription: HN HN

Description: Fragment; right part only; canted rectangle; twisted rope edging; lion passant positioned vertically along right side; rose and crown stamp repeated twice (both over-pressed), each above an ‘imp’ figure with both arms lowered.

Notes: A particularly clear casting; the right rear leg of the lion (missing on some variants of this series) has been replaced by a short length of twisted rope.

Description: Canted rectangle; ovolo-moulded edging; shield and dolphin crown of the dauphin of France, encircled by the Ordre d'Esprit and the Ordre de St Michel; dolphins in the bottom corners, separating digits of the date.

Notes: The 24th Dauphin was Louis, son of Louis XV and father of Louis XVI. Part of the bequest to the Victoria and Albert Museum by Lieut. Colonel G. B. Croft-Lyons in 1926.

Inscription: 1 7 5 0

Arms: Dauphin of France (24th Dauphin)

Description: Canted rectangular shape; twisted rope edging (top and sides only; two approximately parallel horizontal lines of twisted rope across the upper centre; from the upper line and starting at the top corners, five regularly-spaced vertical lines of twisted rope extending to the top edge, the centre one with a horizontal rope length formiong a cross.

Notes: A simple rope design with apotropaic significance.