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602
Description: Canted rectangle; twisted rope edging (top and sides); roughly symmetrical arrangement of two large saltires formed of twisted rope inside and below the top corners, with two small saltires, also of rope, between the large ones and the lower ends of the canting.
Notes: The simple arrangement, while likely to be early, is difficult to date with any precision. Christie's Masters and Makers Sale, South Kensington, 30 Nov 2010, lot 532 (£500).
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with canted top corners (shape)
- rope (edging)
- simple stamps
- apotropaic
- objects
Manufactured: in the 16th century possibly in the Weald area of England.
Current location: not known.
- Attached to series:
- Rope design firebacks
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606
Description: Canted rectangle; twisted rope edging (top and sides); seven shields of Ayloffe impaling Sulyard in two rows (3-4); 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.
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.
Arms: Ayloffe impaling Sulyard (William Ayloffe of Bretons, Hornchurch)
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with canted top corners (shape)
- rope (edging)
- carved stamps
- armorial
Manufactured: in the early-17th century in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Mark Ripley Forge & Fireplaces, Northbridge Street, Robertsbridge, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Ayloffe series
- Personal armorial firebacks
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618
Description: Canted rectangle; twisted rope edging (top and sides); top centre, initials in triad between split date.
Notes: A late date for a very simple design.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: 17 T M M 48
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with canted top corners (shape)
- rope (edging)
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- text
Manufactured: in 1748 possibly in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Mark Ripley Forge & Fireplaces, Northbridge Street, Robertsbridge, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Date & initials firebacks
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643
Description: Rectangular, with canted top corners; twisted rope edging (top and sides only); eight shields of Ayloffe impaling Sulyard in three rows, 3-2-3; 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.
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. Christie's Masters and Makers Sale, South Kensington, 30 Nov 2010, lot 518 (£1,000).
Copies of this fireback are known.
Arms: Ayloffe impaling Sulyard (William Ayloffe of Bretons, Hornchurch)
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with canted top corners (shape)
- rope (edging)
- carved stamps
- armorial
Manufactured: in the early-17th century in the Weald area of England.
Current location: not known.
- Attached to series:
- Ayloffe series
- Personal armorial firebacks
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1265
Description: Canted rectangular shape; ?fillet edging; eight fleurs-de-lys (4 and 4) equally spaced and divided by vertical and horizontal fillets, the middle vertical over-stamped at the top with the numerals.
Notes: Only poor quality castings have been noted of this design, with different dates.
Inscription: 16[?]1
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with canted top corners (shape)
- fillet (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- individual numbers
- heraldic
- text
Manufactured: in the early-17th century possibly in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Ripley Forge and Fireplaces, North Street, Robertsbridge, Salehurst, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Miscellaneous stamp firebacks
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658
Description: Canted rectangular shape; stepped fillet edging; indistinct pictorial scene of two men on the prow of a sailing ship, their arms in the air, passing a naked figure, arms also in the air.
Notes: Possibly a representation of Odysseus and one of the Sirens.
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with canted top corners (shape)
- stepped fillet (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- pictorial
- mythological
- humans
Manufactured: in the early-18th century in France.
Current location: in private hands, Rolvenden, Kent, England.
- Attached to series:
- Miscellaneous pattern firebacks
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663
Description: Rectangular, with canted top corners; twisted rope edging (top and sides only); nine shields of Ayloffe impaling Sulyard in two rows, 5-4; two parallel vertical cuts for the insertion of firedogs.
Notes: 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. 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. There is a large number of variants using the same shields.
Arms: Ayloffe impaling Sulyard (William Ayloffe of Bretons, Hornchurch)
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with canted top corners (shape)
- rope (edging)
- carved stamps
- armorial
Manufactured: in the early-17th century in the Weald area of England.
Current location: in private hands, Rolvenden, Kent, England.
- Attached to series:
- Ayloffe series
- Personal armorial firebacks
- Andiron slot firebacks
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890
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, ‘daisy’ plant stamp; top panel, date between ‘daisy’ stamps, between initials in triad at each end; side panels, swirling foliage stamp repeated each side above a fleur-de-lys, above initial 'I' on left and 'B' on right; centre panel, stamp of ‘Indian’ smoking a pipe at top left, stamp of seated ‘gentleman’ smoking a pipe and holding another, at top right; below each, a seated monkey stamp, that on the left seated facing right, its paws in front of it and its tail below, that on the right seated facing left, its tail drawn across its chest.
Notes: The IB initials are identical to those on similar firebacks dated between 1703 and 1721, probably indicating the same founder. The number 3 of the date and the fleur-de-lys on the lower left side have been over-pressed showing the backs of the stamps. 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.
Inscription: IES [triad] 1703 IES [triad] / I B
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with canted top corners (shape)
- fillet (edging)
- carved stamps
- heraldic
- text
- animals
- humans
- plants
Manufactured: in 1703 in the Forest of Dean area of England.
Current location: Greys Court, Rotherfield Greys, Oxfordshire, England.
Museum number: 196857 (part of the National Trust museum group)
- Attached to series:
- IB series
- Date & initials firebacks
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368
Description: Canted rectangle; twisted rope edging (top and sides); Tudor royal shield within a Garter, supported by lion and dragon stamps, a crown above, between separate ‘E’ and ‘R’ stamps; fleur de lys stamp irregularly repeated four times below right and to left of lion.
Notes: The shield, garter and crown stamps appear on many firebacks, usually with left-facing lion and greyhound supporters; the presence of the shield and crown indicate the fireback is derived from the same source; the supporter stamps, which are over-pressed, are clearly derived from blocks intended to represent standing models. Formerly at Kirby Frith Hall, Leicestershire. Illustration from Schubert, 1957, pl. 7.
Inscription: HONE SOYT qVEY MAL Y PENSE
Arms: Tudor royal - Edward VI or Elizabeth I
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with canted top corners (shape)
- rope (edging)
- carved stamps
- individual letters
- heraldic
- armorial
- royal
- text
Manufactured: in the mid- to late-16th century possibly at Pounsley Furnace, Framfield in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Newarke Houses, Leicester, Leicestershire, England.
Museum number: H.101.1930.0 (part of the Leicester City Museums museum group)
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837
Description: Canted rectangle; cavetto-moulded edging; single horizontal ?rope strip below canted corners and vertical ?rope strip parallel to each side, dividing the fireback into two side panels, two top corner panels, top panel and main central panel; top corner panels, a plant stamp repeated in each; top panel, date between repeated plant stamp; side panels, fleur-de-lys stamp repeated twice on each side in a vertical arrangement, a single plant stamp below, above one initial on each side; central panel plain.
Notes: The 'daisy' stamp, fleurs de lys and the IB initials are identical to those on similar firebacks dated between 1703 and 1721, and probably indicating the same founder. Illustration from Shuffrey 1912, p.139.
Inscription: 1710 / I B
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with canted top corners (shape)
- cavetto (edging)
- carved stamps
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- heraldic
- text
- plants
Manufactured: in 1710 in the Forest of Dean area of England.
Current location: not known.
Citation: Shuffrey, L. A., 1912, The English Fireplace, London, Batsford.
- Attached to series:
- IB series