Firebacks

Shape: rectangular with canted top corners

117 results

  1. 1177

    dudley_archives.png
    ? x ? mm

    Description: Canted rectangular shape; twisted rope edging (top and sides); top centre, inscription 'C1630C'.

    Notes: In the inscription, the letter 'C' may have been formed from a horseshoe. The fireback was discovered in 1959 at the works of Samuel Lewis & Co. Ltd. at Netherton, Worcestershire. It has been suggested that it was probably made by Walter Chetwynd, tenant of the ironworks at Cannockwood in Staffordshire who is mentioned as such in accounts of 1636 and 1637 made by Roger Jones received for William, Lord Paget of Beaudesert, the owner of the works.

    Inscription: C1630C

    Manufactured: in 1630 possibly in the Cannock Chase area of England.

    Current location: not known.

  2. 55

    dyrham_park 01.jpg
    1016 x 610 mm

    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; ‘daisy’ plant stamp in top corners, and at outer end of top panel enclosing two, opposite facing, lion passant stamps with date between; swirling foliage stamp repeated in each side panel above initial, I to left, B to right; stamp of ‘Indian’ smoking a pipe in top left of central panel, stamp of seated ‘gentleman’ smoking a pipe and holding another, at top right.

    Notes: The 'daisy' stamp and the IB initials are identical to those on similar firebacks dated between 1703 and 1721, and probably indicating the same founder. The use of stamps relating to tobacco smoking may suggest an origin near Bristol, the main entry port for the tobacco trade at that time. Lent to Dyrham Park by the late John Workman OBE, of Sheepscombe, Gloucs. in 1963, and given in 1996.

    Inscription: 1708 / I B

    Manufactured: in 1708 in the Forest of Dean area of England.

    Current location: Dyrham Park, Dyrham, Gloucestershire, England.

    Museum number: 453259 (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).

  3. 871

    east_grinstead, gullege 02.jpg
    895 x ~590 mm

    Description: Canted rectanular shape, with stepped fillet edging (top and sides); upper centre, horizontal ?leather twist above an inverted ?leather twist 'V'; on each side, a shield-shaped stamp repeated twice, the upper one of each being angled so its side is parallel to the canted edging.

    Notes: The design on the shield is not recognisably heraldic in form, and appears to incorporate a possible pictorial element although this is not clear; the inverted 'V' shape may have apotropaic significance.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Manufactured: in the late-16th century in England.

    Current location: in private hands, East Grinstead, West Sussex, England.

    Citation: Lloyd, N., 1925, 'Domestic Ironwork I', Architectural Review, 58, pp. 58-67.

  4. 1012

    east_preston, bay tree cottage (country life 1959) 762x533.jpg
    762 x 533 mm

    Description: Canted rectangle with twisted rope edging (top and sides); rope line separating rectangle from trapezoidal section, which is, in turn, separated by rope lines into a central rectangle containing a rebated lozenge stamp beneath the date (reversed), and two mirrored triangles each containing what appear to be mirrored stamps of a bird, possibly a partridge, and an initial; both the initials and the date are reversed.

    Notes: Reversal of numerals and letters is not uncommon on firebacks.

    Inscription: E [or] F 16 04 C

    Manufactured: in 1604 possibly in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: not known.

    Citation: Eschbaecher, J., 22 Jan 1959, 'Why in reverse?' [letter], Country Life, p. 153.

  5. 65

    fernhurst,_moses hill farm.jpg
    935 x 530 mm

    Description: Canted rectangle; twisted rope edging; plain plate

    Manufactured: in the 16th or 17th century possibly in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: in private hands, Fernhurst, West Sussex, England.

  6. 293

    flaxley_abbey 03.jpg
    900 x 733 mm

    Description: Canted rectangle; inset twisted rope edging (top and sides); stamp formed of a statuette of an standing angel with left hand at the waist, and holding a sceptre in the right hand; date split either side of angel; initials in triad above angel; small face stamp repeated three times, one each side of angel, and one below.

    Notes: The identity of those to whom the initials refer is not known; the use of the angel statuette is a rare inclusion of a religious motif on an English fireback. A variant of this fireback is at the Lygon Arms Hotel, Broadway, Worcestershire (no. 1027).

    Inscription: IHI [triad] / 16 33

    Manufactured: in 1633 in the Forest of Dean area of England.

    Current location: Flaxley Abbey, Flaxley, Gloucestershire, England.

    Citation: Bick, D. E. [incorrectly printed as Bick, R.], Sept 1985, 'Firebacks', Period Homes, pp. 21-4.

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

  7. 68

    frant,_lightlands 02.jpg
    1180 x 475 mm

    Description: Canted rectangle; ovolo edging (top and sides); symmetrically arranged, initials separated by overpressed, fillet edged stamp bearing letters WF surmounted by a bent arm holding a battleaxe issuing from a chapeau; beneath are two shields bearing the arms of Fowle.

    Notes: The shield and crest stamps relate to William Fowle (1568-1634) and are those used on iron grave slabs in Wadhurst and Frant churches and in Maidstone museum, as well as on other firebacks. The initials have not been identified. The fireback was formerly in Riverhall, Wadhurst, built by William Fowle. Another casting with the same set of initials, but in a slightly different arrangement, has been noted (no. 1077), and Christy (1908 p.386) reported on another with slots for two firedogs.

    Inscription: EC DT / WF

    Arms: William Fowle, of Frant and Wadhurst

    Manufactured: in the early- to mid-17th century probably at Riverhall Furnace, Wadhurst in the Weald area of England.

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

    Citation: Christy, M., 30 May 1908, 'The Old Flat Hearth and its Appliances, III - The Fire-back', The Crown, The Court and County Families' Newspaper, XCIX, Vol. 8, No. 9, pp. 383-6.

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

  8. 1243

    harvington_hall.jpg
    640 x 595 mm

    Description: Canted rectangular shape; twisted rope edging (top and sides); top centre, date '1675'.

    Notes: Similar, in size, shape and position of numerals, to a fireback of 1670 but the numerals are from a different stock.

    Inscription: 1675

    Manufactured: in 1675 in England.

    Current location: Harvington Hall, Chaddesley Corbett, Worcestershire, England.

    (part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham museum group)

  9. 124

    hastings_014.jpg
    600 x 440 mm

    Description: Canted rectangle; twisted rope edging (top and sides); top centre, crowned Tudor royal shield; fleur de lys on each side and below; slanting, inverted 'V' of twisted rope on each side of lower fleur.

    Notes: One of a large series of firebacks incorporating Tudor heraldic stamps; the 'V' shapes may have apotropaic significance.

    Arms: Tudor royal arms of England

    Manufactured: in the mid-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: 1904.32 (part of the Hastings Museum museum group)

  10. 128

    hastings_018.jpg
    597 x 463 mm

    Description: Canted rectangle; twisted rope edging (top and sides), with dowel across the top corners; symmetrical arrangement of four crowned four-petal roses, top centre, bottom centre and both top corners; symmetrical arrangement of four fleurs de lys, two either side of top central rose, two in bottom corners.

    Notes: One of a large series bearing heraldic stamps. Given to Hastings Museum by Mr A. E. Anderson of Brightling Hall, Robertsbridge, Sussex.

    Manufactured: in the mid-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: 1914.64.1 (part of the Hastings Museum museum group)

    Citation: Browne, P. J., 27 Jul 1967, 'Sussex Firebacks ... History of an Early Application of Cast Iron', Foundry Trade Journal, pp. 109-111.

    Citation: Butterfield, W. R., 16 Feb 1935, 'A Tudor Fireback', Hastings and St Leonards Observer.

    Citation: Baines, J. M., 1958, Wealden Firebacks (Hastings Museum).