Firebacks

Manufactured in 1736

  1. 203

    birmingham,_selly hall 02.jpg
    830 x 700 mm
    Image subject to copyright

    Description: Rectangular; fillet edging; fillet parallel to top edge separating top quarter; two fillets parallel to sides separating side quarters; halves of date in top corner squares.

    Notes: Numeral style is typical of first half of 18th century.

    Inscription: 17 36

    Manufactured: in 1736 in England.

    Current location: Selly Manor, Birmingham, West Midlands, England.

    (part of the Selly Manor museum group)

  2. 392

    lewes,_sussex arch soc 026.jpg
    905 x 740 mm
    Image subject to copyright

    Description: Arched rectangular shape; cavetto moulding on all sides, with short gaps at each end of the base (possibly to accommodate firedogs); date in top corners; shield, supporters, coronet and motto of the Barony of Bergavenny: Gules, on a saltire argent, a rose of the field, barbed and seeded proper. The motto, ‘Ne vile velis’ (Wish nothing base) is a pun on the family name.

    Notes: The arms are those of William Nevill, 16th Baron Bergavenny, of Kidbrooke Park, Forest Row, Sussex. The date of the fireback coincides with the completion of the mansion. Formerly part of the J. H. Every collection.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: 1736 / NE VILE VELIS

    Arms: William Nevill, 16th Baron Bergavenny

    Manufactured: in 1736 in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Anne of Cleves House, Southover High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, England.

    Museum number: 1944.24.086 (part of the Sussex Archaeological Society museum group)

    Citation: Hodgkinson, J. S., 2010, British Cast-Iron Firebacks of the 16th to Mid-18th Centuries (Crawley, Hodgers Books).

    Citation: Hughes, G. B., 21 Apr 1955, 'Old English Firebacks', Country Life, 117, pp. 1056-60.

  3. 637

    ripley_057.jpg
    590 x 600 mm

    Description: Rectangular; astragal and fillet edging; date across top of plate.

    Notes: One of a series of backs dating to the 1730s and 40s using very similar sets of letters and numerals. Sold at Christie's Masters and Makers auction, 30 November 2010, lot 521 (£1000 part lot with no. 601, no. 623 and no. 634).

    Inscription: 1736

    Manufactured: in 1736 in the Weald area of England.

    Current location:, not known.