Firebacks

Description: Arched rectangular central panel with 'nutshell' over fillet edging; pictorial image of a partially clothed female figure, holding an upraised wreath in her left hand, standing on a ground, with a gadrooned vase containing flowers and leaves to the right, and above swagged drapery and sun rays; arched rectangular fillet border with descending leaves and flowers suspended from a wreath, top centre, and a wreath in each top corner; on top, mirrored sea monsters; bottom centre, logo formed of a pair of dividers in a cartouche between swirling fronds.

Notes: The figure is an allegorical representation of Agriculture, one of the Iconologia originally published by Cesare Ripa in 1613. A modern casting.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Description: Arched shape with forward-facing 'wings', which splay outwards towards the base, curved to follow the shape of the main panel; central panel with stylised tree decoration surmounted with a scallop shell between six 'leaves' (one damaged).

Notes: Nothing is known about the sources of free-standing firebacks or what prompted their production. Their form is similar and the predominant use of horticultural or arboreal decorative themes suggests production within a limited time frame. Only a very small number of such castings are known. This fireback casting was probably cast in an open box mould as the upcast (reverse) side of the casting shows evidence of being sand-treated. Depth 200mm.

Description: Originally rectangular; two identical panels, each with braid edging, a vine standard with six bunches of grapes and a cluster at the top.

Notes: One of an unusual series formed from separate panels arranged, in this instance, with repeated panel; fire-damaged, hence the distorted shape. Recovered after the fire at Nymans, Handcross, Sussex in 1947.