This is a cast iron fireplace fire back. They were first produced in Europe in the 15th century.
Fire backs are placed on the backwall of fireplaces. Their main purpose was to protect the backwall from overheating which would cause cracking of the cement or concrete blocks or adobe and then lead to eventual collapse of the entire chimney.
They also radiated heat into room after fire was out.
Royalty and the wealthy had large elaborate iron fire backs with their personal coat of arms and/or French fleur de Lys and religious symbols molded on their surfaces.
Even simple homes needed fire backs. The second attached photo is the actual one that was it the cottage of Jeanne d’Arc in Domremy! It has the Cross of Lorraine insignia and the fleur de Lys on its face.
An incredible story is that in the middle of the French Revolution the Committee issued a proclamation that all fire backs with royal or religious symbols had to be removed or have the symbols erased within four days or the owners would be guillotined!
The Committee soon realized this would be an impossible task and they settled for the owners turning the fire backs around to hide royal symbols.
Our fire back was purchased in the Lorraine area many years ago. It has the figure of a French Officer, wearing a kepie hat and sitting on his horse. It complied with the Revolutionary edicts, so it probably was made around the time of the French Revolution.
Fire backs are still used today and there are many businesses that sell old and new fire backs. We paid almost nothing for our heavy rusty old plate but it took me many hours to restore and we rarely made a fire.
On the internet there are a few antique ones for sale starting around $600. The one that helped keep Jeanne d’Arc and her family safe and warm is in a museum and is priceless.
(Editor’s note: Palisades resident Howard Yonet has an interesting collection of curios from around the world and with his permission, Circling the News is publishing one a week. About the collector: Dr. Howard Yonet was born in Brooklyn in 1934 and attended Brooklyn College. He went to Baylor Medical School and then returned to do an internship at Bellevue Hospital. Yonet completed his residency at the Manhattan V.A. and the Montefiore Hospital. During this time he went skiing in Vermont and the Catskills, and while traveling found barns filled with early American pieces. This led to his interest in American Antiques.
In 1965, he married Daniele, who was originally from Nancy, France. During the Vietnam War, Yonet was drafted as a medical officer and stationed in Landstuhl, Germany (1966-1969). This was close to the French border, which meant he and Daniele and could visit her family.
While abroad, the Yonets took weekend trips through France and Italy, purchasing many interesting pieces at flea markets.
The family settled in Pacific Palisades in 1970 and Yonet practiced general radiology until 2006. He continued to acquire antiques and collectables at estate and garage sales and the Salvation Army Store. He also enjoyed looking for collectibles while traveling in Montana, Idaho, Colorado and Massachusetts. Daniele’s family helped add to his collection.)