Jamb Ltd. Building and Garden Elements

The central tablet carved playfully with a lion and two winged putti, encircled by laurel, flanked by a fluted frieze and corner blocks carved with oval paterae, above jambs carved w...

Of archetypal art deco form, this chimneypiece is reminiscent of Art Deco silhouettes such as the Walker Tower in New York. Carved from Black Marquina, the striking marble is figured...

A robustly carved 19th Century George II style pine chimneypiece of impressive scale in the manner of William Kent. The central tablet bearing the mask of Bacchus, flanked by a runni...

A mid-19th century, Italian carved walnut fireplace. The jambs carved with muscular, Atlantean figures. They stand on reclining elephants with outstretched trunks. Heaven represented...

A wonderful, early 20th century, Statuary and Jasper fireplace after a design by Henry Holland An early 20th century, statuary and Jasper marble fire...

A late Victorian Carrara marble fireplace with arched moulded opening, headed by a corbel keystone flanked by foliate spandrels. The heavy jambs inset with arched lozenges carved wit...

A Striking George II Style Chimneypiece Carved from Belgium Black, with Veneers of Sienna and Specimen Breche Violette These dramatic, contrasting marbles are united in this classic...

An early 19th Century English Regency Neoclassical statuary marble fireplace, carved in Italy to the highest quality with crisply and deeply carved undercutting to the sculptural dec...

The shelf carved with fine acanthus and egg & dart, above a prominent tablet carved with a central urn, flanked by draped wreaths hanging from bows. The urn is upheld by hoofs and be...

A Superb and Rare George III, Neoclassical Siena and Statuary Marble and Painted Pine Fireplace with Porphyry and Antico Verde Faux Marbles Circa 1785–95. Inset with painted polychr...

A late George III finely carved pine and limewood chimneypiece of large proportions. The running frieze carved with alternating finger flutes and panels bearing floral carvings of s...

A refined and characterful statuary marble fireplace of strong architectural design, after Sir John Soane. The piece is cleverly decorated with a design of simple open concave finger...

A Late 18th Century Beautifully Executed Neoclassical Chimneypiece in Statuary and Convent Siena Marbles. The central tablet depicts an exceptionally well carved putto driving a cha...

An Early 18th Century Carrara Marble Fireplace. The frieze decorated with a central keystone with graduated flutes, the sides and jambs with simple incised geometric mouldings. Circ...

An Impressive 18th Century Palladian Style Fireplace in Statuary and Contrasting Jasper Marbles with Sienna Marble Column Jambs From the London, Westminster workshops of Sir Henry Cheere (1703–1781) made for the 2nd Earl of Ossory for his seat at Ampthill Park, Bedfordshire, probably during improvements made by Sir William Chambers to the principle rooms and for building the two wings, between 1768–1772. The moulded breakfront shelf stepping forward over the jambs is decorated with lamb’s tongue and egg and dart. The frieze centred with a large rectangular tablet which drops into the upper member of the architrave, of choice specimen marble jasper of unusual and rare greenish hues, flanked by yellow coloured Jasper marble panels, the rectangular Jasper end blockings decorated with open sunflower heads with curled petals in statuary, upheld by the three-quarter round, tapering Sienna marble columns with Roman Ionic order statuary capitals and bases fronting the statuary pilasters. The whole rests on Statuary marble blocks. A closely related coloured drawing of a columned fireplace, with no sculptural decoration, from the Cheere's workshop can be seen in the Victoria Museum, D715(2)-1887 (one of 28 coloured designs of fireplaces). In 1769 the young Earl of Upper Ossory bought in the architect Sir William Chambers to extend and modernise the house adding East (kitchen service...

A very fine Eighteenth Century chimneypiece, the breakfront shelf above a Siena marble frieze, centred by a statuary marble tablet carved with abundant fruit. The projecting Siena ma...

A superb late 18th century Irish Neoclassical fireplace in statuary, Siena and Verde Antico marbles with statuary panels inlaid with scagliola swags of 'Bossi' work of the highest quality. Dublin, Circa 1780–1785. With a stepped and moulded shelf which breaks forward over the jambs, the frieze centred with a rectangular basso relief, decorated with an oval framed carved...

A hand-painted panel after a Neoclassical design in the manner of Angelica Kaufmann is at centre of the frieze, depicting a cupid holding a thyrsus, playing together with two female ...

An impactful, late Georgian chimneypiece of Sienna and statuary marbles. With breakfront shelf protruding over the jambs with plain tiered rounded mouldings. The sienna frieze is cen...

A Robust, Regency period and Style Chimneypiece in Statuary and Convent Sienna Marbles. With plain rectangular shelf raised on bed mouldings above the sienna frieze. The frieze cent...

A limestone Queen Ann period frame chimneypiece with panelled jambs and frieze, centred by an elegant keystone. Height 51 in (129cm) width 39 in (99cm) Internal height 32 in (81.5cm...

An important, early 20th century, English, statuary and Siena marble fireplace, celebrating the end of the Great War of 1914–18. Most likely a special commission from the famous Whit...

A most important and magnificent George II Kilkenny fossil marble antique fireplace. Designed and produced by William Colles in 1751 for the drawing room in Castlemorris, Co. Kilkenn...

With heavily carved foliate pilasters headed by masks. Carved trusses support corner blocks carved with ewers. Richly figured convent Sienna marble flanks the pilasters and the centr...

A well proportioned and rare Italian chimneypiece, carved in the region of Piedmont towards the end of the 18th century. A simple breakfront shelf is resting on a panelled frieze car...

A finely carved 19th century Italian chimneypiece beautifully executed by hand in Istrian stone. The simple breakfront shelf with a dentil cornice is car...

A very elegant Louis XVI style fireplace carved in Carrara marble, the running guilloche frieze flanked by paterae cornerblocks, supported by filled fluted column. Height 43¾in (111...

A mid 18th century fireplace of good proportions, the serpentine shelf and frieze end in octagonal cornerblocks. Small bunches of laurel leaves hung from ribbons run down the jambs. ...

A Late 18th Century North Italian Chimneypiece, Carved in Bleu Turquin Marble with Statuary Details The simple shelf rests on the frieze centred by a tablet, which depicts a laurel ...

An exceptional, highly carved 18th century Louis XVI chimneypiece in statuary white marble of generous proportions. The bowed frieze carved with running oak leaves bordered with deli...

A 19th Century Louis XVI Style Chimneypiece in Statuary Marble with Original Cast Iron Slips Acanthus leaves wrap around circular cornerblocks, supported by tapered fluted jambs. Th...

An exquisitely executed Louis XVI style chimneypiece in Italian Bardiglio marble, the running guilloche frieze flanked by filled fluted column jambs capped by Acanthus capitals. Hei...

A pair of unusually large and impressive Louis XVI pure statuary marble chimneypieces Height 46in (117cm) width 72½in (184cm) Internal height 36⅝in (93cm) width 54½in (138.5cm) Foot...

With a rounded stepped and moulded shelf. The frieze with joined oval medallions of interwoven sprays of flower heads tied by ribbons. The jambs in the form of rounded tapering, stop...

The tiered shelf is punctuated by finely carved dentils, egg and dart, and acanthus ornamental details. This is supported by an elegant acanthus leaf frieze with beading. The slender...

An early 18th century Irish frame chimneypiece in Kilkenny fossil marble. The header carved with a central stylised keystone. Dimensions Height 47½in (...

The breakfront, moulded shelf above the frieze which is centred with a tablet carved with a lion’s head on two pieces of draped linen. The blockings above the pilaster decorated with Roman shields...

With a tiered moulded shelf, a frieze with stopped finger flutes and the inground veneered in Convent Sienna marble, supported on console jambs. In 1731 Isaac Ware shows a design ver...

A Fine 19th Century Pine Chimneypiece in George II Revival Style. The imposing and elegant moulded shelf is supported by a dentil detail. The pulvinated frieze is carved with a refin...

A Finely Carved Irish, George III Period Kilkenny Marble Chimneypiece in the Manner of Charles Robert Cockerell. Featuring a central tablet carved with a roman tazza ern motif, popu...

A Very Refined 1780S Neoclassical Chimneypiece In White Statuary Marble With Tinos Inlays Of The Highest Quality. An exquisite late 18th century chimneypiece of Robert Adam’s design....

The central tablet depicts the three Graces disarming Cupid. The scene is after a painting by the Neoclassical painter Angelica Kauffman (1741–1807). The Graces steal and break Cupid...

The moulded shelf richly carved with egg and dart, above a barrel frieze carved with running laurel bound in ribbon, unusually running left–to–right rather than symmetrically from th...

A Superb Late 18th to Early 19th Century Statuary Marble Chimneypiece Carved in High Relief A neoclassical fireplace produced in Italy most probably for the English Market, in the m...

Provenance: Stair & Company, Inc. New York, NY, private collection, gifted to Telfair Museums, c. 1977. The elegant moulded breakfront shelf with an egg and dart and a beaded motifs...

A George III fireplace with an imposing breakfront shelf, an acanthus leaf motif running along the border. The central tablet is after the painting “Telemachus and the Nymphs of Caly...

With a fluted keystone, flanked by fielded panels to the frieze, on original footblocks. Height 57¾in (146.7cm) width 54in (134cm) Internal height 48½in (123.4cm) width 36in (91.3cm...

A Highly Important Empire Period Rosso Antico Chimneypiece Inset with Specimen Marble Portrait Reliefs of Roman Emperors The carved and veneered surround comprising a moulded shelf supported by a bold dentil cornice, above an inverted breakfront frieze carved with a central triglyph panel, flanked by a pair of rosettes carved in shallow relief, the frieze mounted with six carved hardstone profile portrait medallions of Roman Emperors, the stop-fluted jambs raised on moulded footblocks; in excellent condition with small restorations commensurate with age and use; the pale inclusions in the stone naturally formed. This spectacular neoclassical marble chimneypiece is carved from Rosso antico, the frieze inset with six portrait reliefs of Roman Emperors, each carved in marmo giallo on a bardiglio background, five variously incised: VESPASIANUS, TIBERIVS, OTHO, JULIUS CAESAR, TITUS. Rosso antico (marmor taenarium) is first recorded as being quarried in 1700 BC at Akra Tainaron (Cape Matapan), Greece.¹ The majority of this stone, however, was extracted throughout the Roman period, when it was one of the most coveted materials for carving due to its rich red colouring and association with highly prized Egyptian ‘Imperial’ Porphyry.² Rosso antico was chosen in antiquity for portrait busts, notably depicting Bacchic subjects such as Dionysus and satyrs due to its rich red wine colour which symbolised conviviality whilst conveying the education and cultivated taste of the owner.³ In the Renaissance, Rosso antico was also used for architectural detail on important buildings, such as the steps leading up to the choir in the medieval church of S. Prassede, and the large columns at the entrance to the Camera dell'Aurora.⁴ In 121 AD, G. Suetonius Tranquillus, secretary to Emperor Hadrian, wrote a biographical history of the first twelve emperors of Rome entitled De vita Caesarum (The Twelve Caesars). A Renaissance edition of Tranquillus’ work was published in 1470, followed by further reprints and translations into all the main European languages. Many of these were illustrated with prints of emperors taken from coins and statues, or imagined by the artist based on Tranquillus’ accounts. These interpretations were copied, in turn, by Renaissance designers for medals, Limoges enamels, and busts, as well as paintings such as the Eleven Caesars, a series of eleven half-length portraits of Roman emperors made by Titian in 1536–40 for Federico II, Duke of Mantua.⁵ These paintings were later given to King Charles I, before being passed in the Commonwealth to the Kings of Spain. Unfortunately, the series was destroyed in the catastrophic fire of 1734 at the Royal Alcazar of Madrid, and is now only known through copies and engravings.⁶ From the middle of the 17th century until the end of the 18th century, there was an insatiable demand for marble carvings, often sold as Roman or assembled from ancient fragments, thus perpetuating the reverence for antiquity that was the quintessence of the Grand Tour. Rosso antico was in extremely short supply, even after the ancient quarries at Skutari were rediscovered in 1830, and remained one of the most highly valued of all stones. Described in 1776 as ‘dark red; scarce and dear’, it was mostly used for small objects such as Grand Tour desk ornaments, inevitably using material re-cut from classical fragments, due to its rarity, as was the case with porphyry.⁷ The portrait roundels on this chimneypiece are typical of those produced in Rome and Florence in hardstones, semi-precious stones, gold, silver, bronze, and mother-of-pearl, which, being easily transportable, would be taken home from the Grand Tour to be mounted within wooden, gilded or brass frames, as fashion dictated.⁸ A group of gold portraits of Caesars, dating from around 1660, are in the Museo Nazionale del Bargello in Florence. Images of Roman emperors were not limited to Italy, England and France, however, as examples executed in Deshima for the Dutch East India Company (Verenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie) show. Medallions depicting Roman emperors, invariably made of black and gold Japanese hiramakie or takamakie lacquer on copper, were produced for the Dutch market at the end of the 18th century. Examples can be found in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.⁹ There are two possible sources for the Imperial profiles on the chimneypiece: the engravings of The Twelve Caesars by Marcantonio Raimondi, or the Imperatorum Imagines by Hubert Golz.¹⁰ The portrait medallions also bear remarkable resemblance to a set of eighteen carved portrait reliefs of Roman Emperors, also of marmo giallo, almost certainly bought by David Ker (1742–1811) of Portavo, Co. Down, on his Grand Tour between 1792–4 in either Florence or Rome. Ker’s diary entry for 17th October 1793 is interesting as it reveals that he was offering his brother a choice of chimneypiece designs, which further supports a Roman origin for the offered example.¹¹ Indeed, fire surrounds incorporating antique fragments had been promoted from the late 1760s by Giovanni Battista Piranesi (1720–78), encouraged by Rome-trained architects including Robert Adam (d.1792). One such example, inset with mythological tablets carved from Rosso antico, was acquired by the 9th Earl of Exeter from Piranesi himself for Burghley House.¹² Another can be found at Islington House, Dorset.¹³ A third, inset with giallo antico and Rosso antico, follows Piranesi’s engraved design dated 1769 for a fire surround mounted with three marble portrait reliefs.¹⁴ It should be re-emphasised that Rosso antico was so precious that it was only ever used for small tablets or details rather than an entire chimneypiece, as with the offered example; likewise, while portrait reliefs are occasionally seen on the jambs of Italian surrounds, it is exceptionally rare to see the frieze mounted with a group, especially of this scale: the combination indicates an architectural commission by an extremely wealthy patron. The sophisticated lines of this chimneypiece epitomise the French Empire influence on the Italian states at the turn of the 18th century. This idiosyncratic ‘Roman’ taste is encapsulated by that of Napoleon, who identified with Rome’s Imperial past. Napoleon’s desire to establish a visual link between himself and Roman emperors is demonstrated by the portraits of his court painter, Jacques-Louis David, inspired by portraits of Emperor Augustus. This Imperial taste extended to architecture, furniture and porcelain, the latter two of which are combined in a group of magnificent ormolu-mounted guéridons commissioned in Sèvres between 1803–11, made to immortalise Napoleon’s reign.¹⁵ The second guéridon in the series, the Table des Grands Capitaines (Table of the Great Commanders of Antiquity), commissioned in 1806, is made almost entirely of hard-paste Sèvres porcelain. The top, painted in imitation of sardonyx, is centred by a portrait cameo of Alexander the Great, surrounded by twelve smaller heads of commanders and philosophers from antiquity: Pericles, Scipio Africanus, Pompey, Augustus, Septimus Severus, Constantine, Trajan, Caesar, Mithridates, Hannibal, Themistocles and Miltiades.¹⁶ Louis XVIII presented the table to the Prince Regent (later King George IV) in 1817 as a token of appreciation for Napoleon’s defeat two years earlier, and George IV treasured it so highly that it became part of the ceremonial backdrop for all his state portraits. The table remains in the Royal Collection.¹⁷ This chimneypiece remained, until recently, in the possession of a noble Dutch family, who acquired it from the owners of a bombed Knightsbridge house in the 1940s; unfortunately, its provenance prior to this has been lost. The use of Rosso antico on this scale, inset with these splendid Imperial profile medallions, appears unparalleled. 1. J. B. Grossman, 'Looking at Greek and Roman Sculpture in Stone' (Los Angeles, 2003). Grossman states that this material was ‘...quarried in three places during antiquity: on Cape Tainaron present day Matapan on the Peloponnese of Greece; on Crete; and at the site of Iasos in Asia Minor. 2. L. Lazzarini, ‘Rosso antico and other red marbles used in antiquity: a characterization study’, Marble, Art Historical and Scientific Perspectives on Ancient Sculpture’ (1990), 237–252. C. Gorgoni, L. Lazzarini, P. Pallante, ‘New archaeometric data on Rosso antico and other red marbles used in antiquity, ASMOSIA VI, Interdisciplinary Studies on Ancient Stone’ (2002), pp. 199–206. J. Deér, trans. G.A. Gilhoff, The Dynastic Porphyry Tombs of the Norman Period in Sicily (Cambridge, 1959), p. 144. R. Gnoli, Marmora Romana (Rome, 1988), pp. 187–191. 3. A notable example is a satyr from the Emperor Hadrian's villa at Tivoli, now in the Capitoline Museum, Rome. Another is the head of a satyr in the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, accession no. 2006.110. See T. Opper, Hadrian. Empire and Conflict (London, 2008), p. 165, fig. 149. 4. De Luca, Marmi antichi (Rome, 1998), p. 126. Faustino Corsi, Catalogo ragionato d’una collezione di pietre di decorazione (Rome, 1833), p. 93. 5. For related Limoges medallions, see set of ten circular Limoges enamel medallions depicting Roman emperors, en grisaille with gilding, from the workshop of Jacques I Laudin, sold Christie’s London, Fine Renaissance Bronzes and Works of Art, 19 December, 1977, lot 95. 6. See set of drawings sold Sotheby’s London, Of Royal and Noble Descent, 24 February, 2015, lot 184. 7. J. J. Ferber, Raspe’s Travels through Italy in the Years 1771–1772 (London, 1776), p. 218. 8. See Sotheby’s London, Pelham, the Public and the Private, 8 March 2016, lot 75: ‘A set of twelve mother-of-pearl cameos of Roman Emperors, Southern Italian, early 19th century’ 9. Oliver Impey, Christiaan J.A. Jörg, Cynthia Viallé, Japanese Export Lacquer 1580–1850 (Amsterdam, 2005) pp. 48–57, no. 56 & 57. 10. For a further reference, see the candlesticks by Jacques I Laudin in the Waters Art Gallery, illustrated in P. Verdier, Catalogue of the Painted Enamels of the Renaissance (Baltimore, 1967), p. 389, nos. 207 & 208. 11. John Ingamells, A Dictionary of British and Irish travellers in Italy 1701–1800 (London, 1997), pp. 572–3. 12. Oliver Impey, Four Centuries of Decorative Arts from Burghley House (Virginia, 1998), p. 53, fig. 23. 13. Country Life, 12 June, 1997, p. 162, figs. 9–11. 14. A. González-Palacios, Il Tempio del Gusto, Roma e il Regno delle due Sicilie, Vol. II (Milan, 1984), pp. 592–93, p. 260. 15. S. Grandjean, 'Napoleonic Tables...

With a fluted keystone, flanked by fielded panels to the frieze, on original footblocks. Height 48in (124cm) width 53in (137cm) Internal height 40⅛in (102cm) width 36¼in (92cm) Shel...

No doubt originally intended for a palatial interior, this elegant chimneypiece is carved in three different specimens of prized coloured marbles: yellow Marmo Giallo Siena, a favour...

An Exceptionally Finely Carved 18th Century Chimneypiece of Neoclassical Design in White Statuary Marble with Spanish Brocatelle Inlays From the Collection of Will Fisher at Jamb, L...

A late 18th century fireplace with a breakfront shelf, supported by a dentil motif. The central tablet is vigorously carved with foliage and flowers, continuing on the frieze. This i...

The central frieze is carved with a Rococo vase of flowers, flanked by scrolling motifs. This supports a broken pediment with acanthine modillions to the under-mould. The opening fra...

An Extremely Refined 18th Century Chimneypiece in White Statuary Marble by the Renowned Architect James Paine (1717–1789) A moulded breakfront shelf with lambs tongue and leaf and d...

A refined late 18th century chimneypiece in statuary marble with Verde Antico inlays of the highest quality, circa 1790. The fluted details on the jambs are centred by oval paterae. ...

The jambs in the form of free-standing Doric columns on socle bases, resting on square footblocks. The frieze is carved with a reeded motif that runs over the cornerblocks, supportin...

This George I frame chimneypiece is carved from Swaledale marble, a limestone which features an abundance of fossilised remains. The striking crinoids a...

The central plaque depicts a pastoral scene with a shepherd and his flock resting beneath a tree. Bales of hale details decorate the corner blocks, from which garlands of bell flower...

A French 1820’s chimneypiece carved in Bardiglio and statuary marble. An early 19th century French fireplace in the Egyptian revival style, the simple rectangular shelf surmounts a frieze with palmettes and rosette paterae carved in white marble. This is supported by Jambs with finely carved caryatids, palmettes at centre and feet on the footblocks. The Egyptian revival became popular in France during the era of Napoleon’s expeditions. This turned into a style in art, architecture and decorative arts especially after the Description de l'Égypte was published from 1809. Known in England as Description of Egypt...

A 19th century, Louis XV style Statuary marble rococo chimneypiece. Each canted jamb is festooned with carved foliage ranging from great curls of acanthus to prim flowers. It is likely this chimneypiece is a celebration of conjugal love and unity, the bearded bust...