-
354
Description: Quasi-arched rectangular shaped; unique, cavetto moulded edging, which loops upon itself three times. A mythical salamander shown in the flames which legend states it is able to resist; behind is what appears to be a palm tree, on either side of which the date is stamped. Two plank-lines.
Notes: Whole pattern with added date; one of a series of firebacks where the number ‘1’ is hooked at both ends. A variant, at Lewes, is incorrectly dated 1550.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: 1650
- Decoration tags:
- quasi-arched rectangular (shape)
- cavetto (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- individual numbers
- planklines
- pictorial
- mythological
- text
- animals
Manufactured: in 1650 possibly at Brede Furnace in the Weald area of England.
Current location: East Riddlesden Hall, Keighley, Yorkshire, England.
Museum number: NT/ERH/M/40 (part of the National Trust museum group)
Citation: Schubert, H. R., 1957, 'A Forgery in Iron', Journal of the Iron & Steel Institute, 165, p. 125.
- Attached to series:
- Hooked '1' series
- Loop edged firebacks
- Brede group
-
407
Description: Quasi-arched rectangular shaped; unique, cavetto moulded edging, which loops upon itself three times. A mythical salamander shown in the flames which legend states it is able to resist; behind is what appears to be a palm tree, on either side of which the date is stamped.
Notes: The fireback has been incorrectly dated 1550 instead of 1650, which Schubert, following W. R. Lethaby, asserted was a forgery claiming indications that a ‘6’ had been erased. Undoubtedly the '6' is more prominent than the other figures though the exact method by which it has been substituted is not clear.
Inscription: 1550
- Decoration tags:
- quasi-arched rectangular (shape)
- cavetto (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- individual numbers
- pictorial
- mythological
- text
- animals
Manufactured: in 1650 possibly at Brede Furnace in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Anne of Cleves House, Southover High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, England.
Museum number: LH000.901 (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: Lethaby, W. R., 1 Oct 1926, 'English Cast Iron - I', The Builder, 131, no. 4365, pp. 537-8.
Citation: Schubert, H. R., 1957, 'A Forgery in Iron', Journal of the Iron & Steel Institute, 165, p. 125.
Citation: Gardner, J. S., 1898, 'Iron Casting in the Weald', Archaeologia, 56, 1, pp. 133-164.
- Attached to series:
- Hooked '1' series
- Loop edged firebacks
- Brede group
-
459
Description: Arched rectangular shape; fillet edging; shield, helm, crest and mantling of the Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths; date in top corners; initials at bottom, below mantling.
Notes: One of the hooked ‘1’ series; unevenly impressed, the right more deeply than the left.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: 16 50 / I M
Arms: Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths
- Decoration tags:
- arched rectangular (shape)
- fillet (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- armorial
- text
Manufactured: in 1650 possibly at Brede Furnace in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Anne of Cleves House, Southover High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, England.
Museum number: 1933.34.046 (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: Gardner, J. S., 1898, 'Iron Casting in the Weald', Archaeologia, 56, 1, pp. 133-164.
- Attached to series:
- Livery company firebacks
- Hooked '1' series
- Brede group
-
817
Description: Arched rectangular shape; fillet edging; shield, helm, crest and mantling of the Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths (see Fig. 3); date in top corners; initials at bottom, below mantling; two planklines.
Notes: One of the hooked ‘1’ series; a copy from an evenly impressed original.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: 16 50 / I M
Arms: Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths
- Decoration tags:
- arched rectangular (shape)
- fillet (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- planklines
- armorial
- text
Manufactured: in 1650 possibly at Brede Furnace in the Weald area of England.
Current location: in private hands, Mayfield, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Hooked '1' series
- Livery company firebacks
- Brede group
-
657
Description: Rectangular with curved top corners; Arched rectangular extension on top; ovolo edging; mounted figure in 17th cent. armour riding down a dragon to the left and below, sword in hand; inscription across top and either side of horseman; date below left; initials below right.
Notes: Probably a representation of St George and the Dragon, with political undertones, given the date. Cursius may be a mi-spelling of Marcus Curtius, who sacrificed himself for the good of Rome. Nil Desperandum - Despair not. Other firebacks also bear the initials, IM, which probably relate to the pattern maker, some with a similar style of lettering.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: CVRSIVS / NIL DESPERANDVM / 1650 / IM
- Decoration tags:
- stepped arched rectangular (shape)
- ovolo (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- pictorial
- allegorical
- text
- animals
- humans
Manufactured: in 1650 possibly at Brede Furnace in the Weald area of England.
Current location: in private hands, Rolvenden, Kent, England.
- Attached to series:
- IM series
- Hooked '1' series
- Brede group
-
750
Description: Arched rectangular shape; cavetto edging; crowned rose with symmetrical leaves; date split across top; initials split across bottom.
Notes: The hooked ‘1’ and ‘IM’ suggests a common pattern-maker with other firebacks bearing those features.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: 16 50 / I M
- Decoration tags:
- arched rectangular (shape)
- cavetto (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- planklines
- heraldic
- royal
- text
Manufactured: in 1650 possibly at Brede Furnace in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Victoria & Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, Kensington & Chelsea, Greater London, England.
Museum number: M.113-1953 (part of the Victoria & Albert Museum museum group)
- Attached to series:
- IM series
- Small cavetto series
- Hooked '1' series
- Brede group
-
895
Description: Quasi-arched rectangular shape, semi-circular protrusions on top corners; cavetto-moulded edging looped at top; two mirrored scrolls inside arch; a phoenix in flames, its wings displayed and inverted; date, in two parts, in top corners; initials in bottom right corner.
Notes: A variant lacks the date and the initials.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: 16 50 / IM
- Decoration tags:
- arched rectangular with two arched extensions (shape)
- cavetto (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- pictorial
- mythological
- text
- animals
Manufactured: in 1650 possibly at Brede Furnace in the Weald area of England.
Current location: 492, Old Dixie Highway, Vero Beach, Florida, United States of America.
- Attached to series:
- Hooked '1' series
- IM series
- Loop edged firebacks
- Brede group
- Phoenix firebacks