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995
Description: Arched; fillet edging; English royal Stuart shield, garter, crown, supporters, 'CS' monogram to left of Garter buckle, and motto on a cartouche; small rose stamp repeated each side of crown; date split each side of top of crown (first part absent in this casting).
Notes: Although English arms, the design is in a continental style, arched firebacks being typical of Lorraine; the 'CS' monogram is likely to be that of the pattern-maker; a modern copy of a poor casting, hence the incomplete date. For the complete version see no. 994.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: [16 missing] 21 / HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE / CS / DIEV ET MON DROIT
Arms: English Stuart royal (James I)
- Decoration tags:
- arched (shape)
- cavetto (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- planklines
- monogram
- armorial
- royal
- text
Manufactured: in 1621 in England.
Current location:.
- Attached to series:
- Jacobean royal armorial firebacks
- Stuart royal armorial firebacks
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157
Description: Arched rectangular shaped central panel with paternost bead edging; figure holding a bow in his left hand and a lyre in his right hand, a quiver suspended from his belt, on an undulating ground with small trees, and suspended swags of drapery above; Arched rectangular shaped border with fillet edging, and symmetrical flowers and swirled tendrils; initials at bottom centre; on top, symmetrical pattern of swirled leaves and tendrils.
Notes: The figure is Apollo, personifying the Sun, one of a set of 'Eight Deities' engraved by Hendrick Goltzius (1592), after Polidoro da Caravaggio; the fireback is one of a large group bearing the same initials, which probably denotes the pattern maker. Other groups may have been the work of the same carver or workshop. The execution is rather crude. Formerly part of the J. H. Every collection.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: SHR
- Decoration tags:
- 'Dutch' (shape)
- fillet (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- planklines
- mythological
- monogram
- text
Manufactured: in the late-17th to early-18th century in England.
Current location: Anne of Cleves House, Southover High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, England.
Museum number: 1944.24.73 (part of the Sussex Archaeological Society museum group)
- Attached to series:
- SHR series
- British 'Dutch' style firebacks
- Eight Deities series
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914
Description: Rectangular shape; twisted rope edging (top and sides) with fillet edging at bottom; cast of a 1598 fireback within a recessed panel, the arch of the original fireback being overlaid with twisted rope and diagonal lengths of rope laid alongside. The original fireback is described as follows: Composite of three elements; central panel has a complex ‘knot’ pattern with a fillet edge; side panel, repeated on either side of the central panel, contains a vase of flowers, possibly stylised thistles, within an arched frame and fillet edge; arched panel above, also with fillet edge, contains the date and inscription; the spandrels of the side panels, and the arched top panel, contain a series of 'bullseye' motifs comprising concentric rings deepening towards the centre.
Notes: The central fireback measures 795mm wide by 735mm high and is from a different casting to that seen at Linchmere, Sussex (no. 475).
Inscription: 1598 / IM IB
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- rope (edging)
- composite
- planklines
- text
- plants
- objects
Manufactured: in the late-16th to early-17th century in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Goddards, Abinger Common, Abinger, Surrey, England.
- Attached to series:
- Armada series
- Composite firebacks
- Garden design types
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1291
Description: Rectangular shape; astragal with cavetto-moulded edging; decoration in three vertical sections each divided by a fillet; central section: three ostrich feathers within a coronet and a motto scroll - ICH DIEN (I serve); at the top, the date split either side of the uppermost feather; at the bottom, initials - SG - split either side of the quills; left panel: on a pedestal, an arrangement of musical and scientific instruments and books below a floral swag with a central rose; right panel: on a palisade, a triumph of martial arms - cannon, drum, shield, spear, flag etc. - beneath a floral swag and handful of arrows.
Notes: The three ostrich feathers within a coronet and the motto, Ich Dien, are the badge of the Prince of Wales. Probably a fireback in honour of Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales, oldest son and heir of King James VI of Scotland, I of England, with the date added to commemorate his death in 1612. The initials are likely to be those of the pattern maker.
Inscription: 16 12 / ICH DIEN / S G
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- astragal with cavetto (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- individual numbers
- heraldic
- pictorial
- historical
- architectural
- royal
- text
- objects
Manufactured: in 1612 in the Eifel area of Germany.
Current location: not known.
Museum number: RBA 37533 (part of the Ahrgau-Museum, Ahrweiler museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Prince of Wales firebacks
- Miscellaneous royal firebacks
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1133
Description: Arched rectangular central panel with bead on fillet edging; flowers in a gadrooned vase upon a pedestal; arched rectangular border with fillet edging containing flowers descending from a ribbon bow; at the bottom, date; on top, symmetrical swirled foliage.
Notes: The swirled foliage on top and the proportions of the fireback suggest an English origin.
Inscription: 1723
- Decoration tags:
- whole carved pattern
- text
- plants
- objects
Manufactured: in 1723 in England.
Current location: 21 Nederstraat, Amerongen, Utrechtse Heuvelrug, Netherlands.
- Attached to series:
- British 'Dutch' style firebacks
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1135
Description: Arched shape; fillet edging; top centre, date; decorative Tudor royal shield, crown, garter (motto clockwise but reversed) and supporters (dragon and greyhound); a rose to the left and a portcullis (grid of 6) to the right side of crown; the supporters stand on a horizontal compartment which, on similar firebacks, often contains the date.
Notes: There are several firebacks with the Tudor royal arms that were probably originally produced in the Spanish Netherlands, perhaps illustrating the association between England and Spain through the marriage of Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon. The firebacks differ in several small details, such as the form and rotation of the Garter motto, the style of the crown, the positioning of the supporters in relation to the Garter, and the form and size of the rose and portcullis.
Inscription: 15 70 / HONY SOYT QVI MAL Y PENSE
Arms: English royal Tudor
- Decoration tags:
- arched (shape)
- fillet (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- individual numbers
- heraldic
- armorial
- text
Manufactured: in 1570 possibly in the Wallonia area of Luxemburg.
Current location: 21 Nederstraat, Amerongen, Utrechtse Heuvelrug, Netherlands.
- Attached to series:
- Tudor royal armorial firebacks
- Continental Tudor royal armorial firebacks
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1004
Description: Arched rectangular shaped central panel with bead edging; arched rectangular border with bead edging; fructal and floral festoons suspended on ribbons with two putti at the top and two on each side; in the left and right bottom corners, the initials 'HH' and 'S' respectively; at the bottom, a central cartouche with date (indistinctly), between floral swags; on top, twin spirals between descending floral festoons.
Notes: A border panel, without the central pictorial panel.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: HH S
Manufactured: in 1665 in the Siegerland area of Germany.
Current location: in private hands, Amerongen, Utrecht, Netherlands.
- Attached to series:
- 'Dutch' HHS series
- Base boards
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1212
Description: Arched rectangular central panel with bead edging; wickerwork Garden of Holland (Hollandse Tuin) within which is seated a berobed female figure holding a cap of freedom on the end of a long pole; before her is the crowned heraldic lion of the States General of the Netherlands, clutching a sheaf of arrows in its left front paw; above are the words, Pro Patria; arched rectangular border with fillet edging; central cartouche at top, with festoons of fruit, flowers and leaves suspended on each side from ribbons supported by rings; at the bottom, swirled ribbon around an oval compartment bearing the inscription 'L6C'; on top, a central cartouche from which descend a cornucopia on each side of the arch.
Notes: An overtly patriotic theme with symbols of Dutch nationhood; the inscription at the bottom indicates the style of border; other firebacks with the same inscription have the same border; similar inscriptions (e.g. L7C and L8G) indicate different borders.
Inscription: PRO PATRIA / L6C
- Decoration tags:
- 'Dutch' (shape)
- fillet (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- pictorial
- allegorical
- text
- animals
- humans
- plants
- objects
Manufactured: in the late-17th century in the Siegerland area of Germany.
Current location: 21 Nederstraat, Amerongen, Utrechtse Heuvelrug, Netherlands.
- Attached to series:
- 'Dutch' LC/G series
- 'Dutch' Garden of Holland firebacks
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1231
Description: Arched rectangular shape; ovolo-moulded edging; shield, Garter, crowned helm and mantling of the English royal arms to 1603 with crowned lion and griffon supporters standing on separate rectangular cartouches containing the word 'ANNO' and the date '1662'; above the mantling are the initials 'I R'
Notes: The date appears to have been altered from 1602. The initials 'I R' for Jacobus Rex (James I of England) are inappropriate for the date in both its original and its altered form; also the griffon supporter on the sinister side is incorrect, a dragon being correct for the arms of Elizabeth I in 1602. There is a vertical plankline left of centre.
Inscription: I R / HONI SOIT QVI MAL I PENSE / ANNO 1662
Arms: English Tudor royal
- Decoration tags:
- arched (shape)
- ovolo (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- individual letters
- planklines
- heraldic
- armorial
- royal
- text
Manufactured: in 1662 possibly in the Ardennes area of Belgium.
Current location: Rijksmuseum, Museumstraat, Amsterdam South, North Holland, Netherlands.
Museum number: BK-NM-10837 (part of the Rijksmuseum museum group)
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937
Description: Arched rectangular shape; gadrooned edging (top and sides); initials, in separate stamps, at top of arch; date probably in separate stamps, below, split by spindle; spindle used as a stamp repeated three times, one between date and initial stamps, the other two below to left and right.
Notes: Makes use of the same backing board as other firebacks in this series, and is possibly a variant of another fireback of the same date and with the same three spindles but with other initials (no. 299); it may originate in the Cuckfield area of Sussex, where most examples have been noted; illustration from Harper (1906). Previously at Riddens (now West Riddens) Farm, Ansty, near Cuckfield, Sussex.
Inscription: S WC / 16 22
- Decoration tags:
- arched rectangular (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: Harper, C. G., 1906, The Brighton Road (London, Chapman & Hall), p. 391.
- Attached to series:
- Spindle series
- Date & initials firebacks
- Spindle/distaff firebacks