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306
Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and sides) with a fillet inside; top centre, concentric roundel with rose-and-crown below; top left, initials in triad with small rose below 'W' and small fleur-de-lys below 'M'; upper right, date with small fleur below '6' and small rose lower, below second '7'.
Notes: The style of rose and crown is similar to that used in gun founding in the Tudor period, suggesting that the furnace that was the source of this fireback may have been used for that purpose.
Inscription: WLM [triad] 1677
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- rope (edging)
- carved stamps
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- heraldic
- text
- objects
Manufactured: in 1677 in the Weald area of England.
Current location: in private hands, Groombridge, Kent, England.
- Attached to series:
- 1660s-90s Wealden series
- Date & initials firebacks
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101
Description: Rectangular; cavetto moulded edging; date aplit by intitials placed centrally at top.
Inscription: 17 TM 70
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- cavetto (edging)
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- text
Manufactured: in 1770 possibly in the Weald area of England.
Current location: in private hands, Hartfield, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Date & initials firebacks
-
138
Description: 'Dutch' style; arched rectangular shaped central panel with bead edging, figure of Charity holding a baby in her left arm and an olive branch in her right, two other children stand on each side of her, one holding a burning heart, trees in the background; arched rectangular shaped border with fillet edging and a repeated leaf pattern; on top a clam shell between two symmetrical serpents.
Notes: Typical type of fireback produced in Germany by Dutch pattern makers; the central panel was made separately for insertion into different borders; this border is a relatively simple type; the portrayal of Charity is derived from the 'Iconologia' of Cesare Ripa. Formerly part of the Ade Collection (from Grove Hill, Hellingly, Sussex).
Copies of this fireback are known.
- Decoration tags:
- 'Dutch' (shape)
- fillet (edging)
- carved pattern panels
- allegorical
- humans
- plants
Manufactured: in the mid to late 17th century possibly in the Siegerland area of Germany.
Current location: Hastings Museum and Art Gallery, John's Place, Bohemia Road, Hastings, East Sussex, England.
Museum number: HASMG: 1952.51.40 (part of the Hastings Museum museum group)
Citation: Lloyd, N., 1925, 'Domestic Ironwork I', Architectural Review, 58, pp. 58-67.
- Attached to series:
- 'Dutch' Miscellaneous Firebacks
- Charity firebacks
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186
Description: Plain rectangle with cavetto moulded edging (top and sides); pediment with same moulding.
Notes: Three identical backs, but with various stamps, indicate that this fireback came from the same source as a distinct series of Tudor heraldic backs. Formerly part of the Ade Collection (from Grove Hill, Hellingly, Sussex).
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with pediment (shape)
- cavetto (edging)
Manufactured: in the mid to late 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: 1952.51.47 (part of the Hastings Museum museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Royal series
- Base boards
- Royal (wreath) series
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159
Description: Rectangular with ‘pediment’ arch linked by cavetto curves; fillet and cavetto edging; pictorial, a cylindrical furnace with inscribed stone courses, flames issuing from the top, with the heads of three people, a hand raised from two of them, and an angel with wings and arms outstretched; the furnace has a small arched opening bottom centre; above the angel, the inscription THE THREE CHILDREN is inscribed.
Notes: The scene represents Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego being delivered from the burning fiery furnace by the angel of God (Daniel 3), the phrase, The Three Children, being a reference to the eponymous apocryphal verses from the Book of Daniel.
Inscription: THE THREE CHILDREN
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with pediment (shape)
- cavetto (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- pictorial
- biblical
- architectural
- text
- humans
- objects
Manufactured: in the early to mid 17th century possibly 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: 1913.58 (part of the Hastings Museum museum group)
Citation: Butterfield, W. R., 1916, 'Old Wealden Firebacks', The Connoisseur, 46, pp. 197-209.
Citation: Butterfield, W. R., 23 Feb 1935, 'A Scriptural Fireback', Hastings and St Leonards Observer.
Citation: Baines, J. M., 1958, Wealden Firebacks (Hastings Museum).
- Attached to series:
- Old Testament & Apocrypha firebacks
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928
Description: Carved wooden fireback pattern. Arched rectangular central panel with astragal and fillet edging; Phaëton riding Apollo’s chariot across the skies, the sun to the left behind clouds, a lion on ground below, between two trees; arched rectangular border with fillet edging; trailing convolvulus leaves surround the central panel.
Notes: The illustration upon which the design has been based has not been identified, save that it figures in book II of Ovid's Metamorphoses. The convolvulus border is a common feature of this series of firebacks; given to the Sussex Archaeological Society by the Earl of Ashburnham.
- Decoration tags:
- 'Dutch' (shape)
- fillet (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- planklines
- pictorial
- mythological
- animals
- humans
- objects
Manufactured: in the early 18th century in England.
Current location: Anne of Cleves House, Southover High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, England.
(part of the Sussex Archaeological Society museum group)
Citation: Dawson, C., 1903, 'Sussex Iron Work and Pottery', Sussex Archaeological Collections, 46, pp. 1-54.
Citation: Baines, J. M., 1958, Wealden Firebacks (Hastings Museum).
- Attached to series:
- Patterns
- TAN series
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479
Description: Arched rectangular central panel with bead-and-pellet edging; on a ground between two plants, a gadrooned flower vase with two, scrolled handles, tulips and other flowers issuing from the narrow neck; arched rectangular border with fillet edging; mirrored descending flower swags; along a rectangular bottom panel with fillet edging a symmetrical arrangement of swirled foliage; on top, two mirrored sea serpents.
Notes: The presence of tulips suggest a Dutch origin for the pattern of this fireback, although the presence of several examples in England suggest that it was produced here rather than on the Continent.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Manufactured: in the late 17th century in England.
Current location: Maidstone Museum, St Faith's Street, Maidstone, Kent, England.
(part of the Maidstone Museum museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Flower Vase 'Dutch' types
- British 'Dutch' style firebacks
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574
Description: Arched rectangular central panel with arch and bead edging within a similarly shaped cavetto-moulded border and pomegranates on to and on the ach shoulder of the plate; pictorial representation of the king of Sweden mounted on a horse.
Notes: The king would be Gustav II. There is a companion fireback bearing the image of Prince Fredrik Henrik of Oranje.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: DIE KONINCK VON SWEDEN
- Decoration tags:
- arched rectangular with arch (shape)
- cavetto (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- pictorial
- historical
- royal
- text
- animals
- humans
Manufactured: in the mid to late 17th century in the Siegerland area of Germany.
Current location: Petworth House, Petworth, West Sussex, England.
Museum number: NT/PET/M/65 (part of the National Trust museum group)
- Attached to series:
- 'Dutch' Miscellaneous Firebacks
- Commemorative firebacks
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821
Description: Arched rectangular shape; fillet edging; shield, crest and motto in relief in a recessed arched rectangle.
Notes: The arms are of Weston, of West Horsley, Surrey: Sable, a chevron or between three leopards heads erased argent crowned or and langued gules; crest: a wolf passant ducally gorged or; motto: Gloria sat Deus unus - God alone is sufficient glory; the Westons were at West Horsley Place from the mid 18th century.
Inscription: GLORIA SAT DEUS UNUS
Arms: Weston family of West Horsley, Surrey
- Decoration tags:
- arched rectangular (shape)
- fillet (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- armorial
- text
Manufactured: in the mid to late 19th century in England.
Current location: Mark Ripley Forge & Fireplaces, Northbridge Street, Robertsbridge, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Personal armorial firebacks
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1173
Description: Arched rectangular central panel with bead on broad fillet edging; pictorial scene of Neptune/Poseidon, a trident in hand, in a chariot drawn through the waves by two 'sea horses', above are clouds and three birds; arched rectangular border with fillet edging; diagonal grid forming squares, in each one of two types of flower arranged in alternate lines; at the bottom, the letter W in a cartouche between swirled foliage; on top, mirrored swirled foliage issuing upwards from a mythical creature on each shoulder.
Notes: There is some question as to whether this is a later pastiche of an early-eighteenth century style,
Inscription: W
- Decoration tags:
- 'Dutch' (shape)
- fillet (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- pictorial
- mythological
- text
- humans
- objects
Manufactured: in the late 17th to early 18th century in England.
Current location: Macintosh Antiques, The Courtyard, Newland, Sherborne, Dorset, England.
- Attached to series:
- W series
- British 'Dutch' style firebacks