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Technique: Carved
Elegant 18th Century Classic Fine French Limestone Antique Fireplace Mantle
Located in Beervelde, BE
The dark red patina of this original antique fireplace surround gives it a rich depth. It was built in the Regency period with a very fine carved detail on the middle of the front. T...
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Mid-18th Century French Regency Antique Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Stone

Superb Antique Louis XVI Fireplace Mantel
Located in Haarlem, Noord-Holland
Spectacular French Louis XVI style fireplace mantel in beautiful Italian Carrara white marble. This mantel is decorated with exquisite and exuberant carvings. It is in a lovely cond...
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19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Carrara Marble

Grand Late Victorian Tiger Oak Fireplace Mantel with Beveled Mirror
Located in North Palm Beach, FL
Step back in time and add unparalleled architectural grandeur to your home with this magnificent late Victorian Tiger Oak fireplace mantel. This exceptional piece, expertly crafted from highly prized quarter-sawn "tiger oak," showcases the distinctive shimmering ray flecks that give the wood its captivating, striped appearance. Dating from the late 19th to early 20th century (c. 1880-1910), it embodies the robust elegance of the Eastlake style with rich Neoclassical Revival influences. The mantel boasts an integrated over mantel beveled mirror. Flanking the mirror are fluted columns with detailed capitals and bases, echoing classical architectural forms. The top is crowned with an ornate scrolled pediment, while the frieze below the mantel shelf is adorned with exquisite carved foliage and scrollwork, demonstrating exceptional craftsmanship. Designed to be the focal point of any grand room, this substantial mantel provides a generous shelf for displaying cherished heirlooms and décor. Perfect for restoring a period home or as a dramatic statement piece in a more contemporary setting, this tiger oak mantel...
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Late 19th Century English Late Victorian Antique Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Oak

English Stone Fireplace Mantelpiece
Located in London, GB
Late Georgian, early Victorian style English made fireplace mantel. English made with impressive white limestone. Hand-carved with columns giving an elegant understated appearance.
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21st Century and Contemporary English Early Victorian Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Limestone

English Stone Fireplace Mantelpiece
English Stone Fireplace Mantelpiece
$1,927 Sale Price
31% Off
An antique fine quality Regency Neo-classical Italian Statuary marble mantel
Located in Tyrone, Northern Ireland
A compact and fine quality Regency Neo-classical Italian Statuary marble fireplace. This superbly carved, pure white statuary marble fireplace was produced in Rome, Italy, approximat...
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Early 19th Century Italian Regency Antique Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Statuary Marble

Regency Style Statuary Marble Fireplace Mantel
Located in Tyrone, Northern Ireland
A late Regency style fireplace made from Italian Statuary Carrara marble. handcrafted in our Northern Irish workshop from imported Italian Statuary Carrara marble, faithfully copied ...
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21st Century and Contemporary Irish Regency Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Carrara Marble

Waldorf Astoria Hotel Louis XVI Regency Marble Mantel Suite 14M
Located in New York, NY
This petite Louis XVI Regency style mantel is carved out of burgundy marble with striking white and gray veining. An infinity chain of hand carved overlapping circles decorates the a...
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Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Marble

Antique William IV Marble Fireplace Mantel
Located in London, GB
A large and imposing English William IV fireplace in pencil vein Carrara marble, with paneled pilaster jambs with twin corbel brackets supporting a long wide and generous mantel. Som...
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1830s English William IV Antique Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Carrara Marble

Rare Gothic Castle Limestone Chimney Mantle Chateau Fireplace Hand Carved Stone
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Rare Gothic Castle Limestone Chimney Mantle Chateau Fireplace Hand Carved Stone . A real museum / Chateau mantel fireplace piece. Perfect for a Rustic ...
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15th Century and Earlier French Gothic Antique Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Stone, Limestone

19th Century Victorian Timber White Fireplace Mantlepiece
Located in London, GB
19th Century Victorian Timber White Fireplace Mantlepiece. This Recently Salvaged Fireplace Has Been Rescued From A London Town House That Was Under Reconstruction. This Antique Eleg...
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19th Century British Victorian Antique Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Pine

Vintage Fireplace in Carved and Inlaid White Marble, Early 1900s, Italy
Located in Cuneo, Italy (CN)
vintage fireplace in hand-carved white marble with yellow ocher inlays. Sides with turned columns and capitals, front with floral sculptures, cups and festoons. very particular color...
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Early 20th Century Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Marble

Antique Mantel: Refined Elegance and Craftsmanship in Perfect Harmony
Located in Oostvoorne, NL
Introducing Our Personal Favorite: The Epitome of Elegance and Craftsmanship Experience the epitome of sophistication with our meticulously crafted fireplace mantel. A harmonious blend of elegance, style, and artisanal mastery, this exquisite piece showcases a carefully curated selection of luxurious marble. Radiating a gentle aura, the mantel is adorned with meticulously executed Art Deco floral and bow motifs. The front panel boasts a breathtaking artisan-carved bow centerpiece, embellished with intricate roses and a symphony of blossoms. Impeccable proportions define this masterpiece, beautifully realized in opulent marble that exudes an air of refinement. Elevate your living space with a touch of opulence as this captivating creation becomes the centerpiece of your elegant abode. Unveil the allure of true luxury as you envision this extraordinary marvel gracing the interiors of magnificent homes, each one uniquely transformed by its presence. * Baseplate included. * Accessories Excluded Chimneys The antique fireplaces on my website have been fully restored and are available from stock. Transport and installation is made easier because the fireplaces are already pre-assembled. The antique fireplaces are cleaned and put in the marble wax again, this ensures that the fireplace regains its original deep shine. This maintenance-free marble wax also provides the fireplace with a dirt and water-repellent layer. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact me. Renzo van...
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19th Century French Louis XV Antique Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Marble

Louis XV style paneled room with 18th century stone fireplace
Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR
This Louis XV style paneled room was made in the early 20th century. The Louis XV era stone fireplace was made in the 18th century. The woodwork may be likened to the work of Jansen....
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1860s French Louis XV Antique Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Stone

Antique monumental fireplace mantle carved in Serena stone, Tuscany (Italy)
Located in Cuneo, Italy (CN)
Ancient monumental fireplace, large hand-sculpted mantle with noble coats of arms and caryatids in Serena stone, from Tuscany (Italy), original from the 16th century, the patina and ...
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16th Century Italian Antique Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Stone

Hand-Carved White Marble Fireplace Mantel with Fluting in the Regency Style
Located in Chicago, IL
This beautiful Regency-style fireplace mantel is hand-carved in elegant white marble. The marble is a bright white, and is very clean, with very little veining. The hand-carved detai...
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2010s Unknown Regency Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Marble

Antique Statuary Marble Fireplace, circa 1850
Located in Tyrone, Northern Ireland
A large and grand antique Statuary marble fireplace dating to the 1850’s. Each pilaster with two full rounded and free standing Corinthian columns th...
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19th Century English Early Victorian Antique Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Statuary Marble

Neoclassic Black and Green Marble Antique Fireplace Mantel
Located in Oostvoorne, NL
This extraordinary fireplace is made of Noir de Mazy marble, which is complemented by the luxurious green marble type Verde. Despite the clean lines, this is a very elegant piece. Th...
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19th Century Belgian Neoclassical Antique Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Belgian Black Marble

17th C Louis XIV Hand Carved Stone Chateau Fireplace Mantle surround Los Angeles
Located in West Hollywood, CA
17th C Louis XIV Hand Carved Stone Chateau Fireplace Mantle surround Los Angeles . Very rare 17th century Louis XIV carved stone fireplace from a Chateau in Bourgogne "Burgundy" the ...
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17th Century French Louis XIV Antique Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Stone, Limestone

18th Century Georgian Style Hand-Carved White Marble Fireplace Mantle
Located in London, GB
Unique fireplace produced under license from kenwood house hampstead, London. By acquisitions for its recent heritage collection. A marvel in marble, this unusual chimney-piece is i...
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21st Century and Contemporary Great Britain (UK) Georgian Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Statuary Marble, Marble

Baroque Bolection Fireplace Mantel in Italian Pavonazzo Marble
Located in London, GB
A Baroque Bolection fireplace mantel in Italian Pavonazzo Marble A Baroque style bolection fireplace surround of bold proportions with very finely carved columns with a rising ogee ...
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21st Century and Contemporary British Georgian Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Marble

Ryan & Smith Statuary Bolection Style Marble Fireplace Mantel
Located in Tyrone, Northern Ireland
A stylish and fashionable fireplace design produced in white statuary marble. The fireplace has a moulded bolection frame on plain plinths, with a stepped cornice shelf...
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21st Century and Contemporary Northern Irish Georgian Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Statuary Marble

Antique 19th Century English Fireplace Marble Mantel
Located in New York, NY
An exquisite example of early 19th-century English craftsmanship, this Neoclassical marble Fireplace mantel combines stately proportions with refined decorative details. Crafted from...
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Late 18th Century English Neoclassical Antique Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Marble

The Louis XIII: A Classical Stone Fireplace in the Style of the Louis XIII Era
Located in Chicago, IL
The Louis XIII Stone Fireplace is inspired by architecture and design during the reign of King Louis XIII of France (1610 - 1641). The molding through the legs and first lintel is cl...
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2010s American Louis XIII Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Limestone

A 19th Century Louis XVI Style Chimneypiece in Carrara Marble
Located in London, GB
An Imperial 19th century chimneypiece of good proportions carved in well preserved Carrara marble. The statuesque piece has canted jambs carved with flutes filled with Campanula, oth...
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19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Carrara Marble

French Beach Sand Colour Fireplace Surround In Hard-Limestone Timeless Living
Located in Beervelde, BE
French antique fireplace surround in beach-sand beige colour hard limestone. This timeless mantelpiece beautifully captures the essence of minimalism from the early 19th century. Its...
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Early 19th Century French Louis Philippe Antique Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Stone, Limestone

Antique French Mantelpiece
Located in Tyrone, Northern Ireland
An antique French marble and gilt bronze mantelpiece of exceptional quality and large scale. After a design by François Antoine Vassé (1681-1736) for the Salon d'Hercule of the Palace of Versailles, France.  Made from the finest and richest coloured Breccia Violleta marble with superbly cast 24-carat gold gilt bronze mounts. The solid marble jambs with gilt-bronze Nemean Lion masks at the top, these are under an arched frieze with a gilt-bronze centre cartouche depicting the mask of Hercules wearing the Nemean lion pelt. Flanking Hercules are extremely well sculpted and flamboyant gilt-bronze cornucopias, also called 'the horn of plenty', a symbol of abundance and nourishment. Salon d'Hercule Beginning in 1724, work on the Salon d’Hercule recommenced. Louis XIV commissioned architect Jacques Gabriel...
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Mid-19th Century French Louis XIV Antique Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Breccia Marble, Bronze

Reclaimed Antique Carved Stone Fireplace Mantle Chimney Surround Los Angeles CA
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Reclaimed Antique Carved Stone Fireplace Mantle chimney surround Los Angeles CA . Rare 18th century Louis XIV carved stone fireplace from Provence. Under Louis XIV, everything is ful...
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18th Century French Louis XIV Antique Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Stone, Limestone

Double-Slip Georgian Style Fireplace Surround Italian Violette Brescia Marble
Located in London, GB
Large Double-Slip Georgian Style Fireplace Surround in finest quality Italian Violette Brescia Marble. Measures: Depth: 8” – 20.3 cm External Height...
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21st Century and Contemporary British Georgian Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Marble

Italian 19th Century Neoclassical Style Carved Carrara Marble Lion Wall Console
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A Large Italian 19th century neoclassical Revival style carved Carrara marble figural wall console table. The rectangular marble top supported by twin Roman carved marble monopodiums...
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19th Century Italian Neoclassical Revival Antique Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Carrara Marble

An antique Italian Statuary marble mantlepiece (over 200 years old)
Located in Tyrone, Northern Ireland
An antique late 18th/ early 19th century Italian Statuary marble mantlepiece of fine quality Small in scale and beautifully made in Italy around the year 1800. The exquisitely carve...
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Early 1800s Italian Neoclassical Antique Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Statuary Marble

Irish Regency Period Antique Marble Fireplace
Located in London, GB
An Irish antique fireplace from the Regency period in Italian Carrara and Siena marbles. The jambs with demi lune reeded panels on book matched...
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Early 19th Century Irish Regency Antique Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Siena Marble

Reclaimed Antique Carved Stone Fireplace Mantle chimney surround Los Angeles CA
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Reclaimed Antique Carved Stone Fireplace Mantle chimney surround Los Angeles CA . Rare 18th century Louis XIV carved stone fireplace from Provence. Under Louis XIV, everything is full of richness and luxury, everything is grandiose and monumental. But wealth is never excessive. Without heaviness, the style seeks symmetry and perfection. Artists of this period also knew how to create new decorative motifs, new canons of beauty and new architectural rules. Under the reign of the Sun King, in the middle of the 17th century to early 18th Century , the general profile of the hood fireplace became a trumeau gradually . There is now more depth in front of the shelf and the gradual disappearance of the first ledge generates a more significant height of the trumeau. The jambs are narrower at the base and rather swollen on their upper part, recalling the balustrade legs of the furniture of that time. Molded Cornice Framing. This fireplace will be the perfect focal point for any room, living room, bedroom, library, dining room ... The depth could be adjusted when installed, since we pull the fireplace as is mostly without cutting the extra stone pieces that were partially in the wall. The simplicity of the Carved line and the symmetry, makes this fireplace versatile in any design, even in a modern space, a provincial design, an Italian design, or even a Spanish style house a Farm house or a winery. This fireplace mantle with trumeau...
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Early 18th Century French Louis XIV Antique Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Stone, Limestone

An English 19th Century Victorian Ebonized Wood and Bone-Inlaid Fireplace Screen
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A Fine English 19th Century Victorian Ebonized Wood and Edged Bone-Inlaid Summer Fireplace Screen. The ornately decorated screen centered with a needlepoint tapestry of a Tarot card ...
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19th Century English Late Victorian Antique Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Bone, Fabric, Wood

Renaissance Oak Fireplace Surround and Mantel, circa 1880
Located in Evergreen, CO
Crafted in the late 19th century, this substantial fireplace surround and mantel, made of oak and finished with a dark stain, features a frieze of scrolled leaves below a carved, bre...
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Late 19th Century Belgian Renaissance Antique Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Oak

Antique Victorian Marble Surround with Ornate Carved Corbels
Located in Ware, GB
This refined early Victorian chimneypiece, crafted from fine Italian Carrara marble, showcases intricately carved corbels with foliage motifs, a large bevelled shelf rests atop. A m...
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19th Century Victorian Antique Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Marble

Impressive Limestone Bolection Fireplace
Located in Haarlem, Noord-Holland
Very impressive moulded bolection fireplace in French limestone. This limestone is called "Buxy" and comes from the area of Beaune in France. The moulding, dimensions and ratio are ...
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2010s Dutch Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Limestone

The Gothic: A Classic Tudor-Style Stone Fireplace with a Modern Twist
Located in Chicago, IL
Similar to our Tudor and Stuart fireplace designs, the Gothic stone fireplace features the traditional peaked arch, evoking the classic 16th ce...
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2010s American Tudor Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Limestone

A neoclassical style fire surround in Italian Carrara Marble by Ryan and Smith
By James Paine
Located in Tyrone, Northern Ireland
The Chelsea is a tall and elegant neoclassical style fire surround in Italian Carrara marble made by Ryan and Smith. Modelled straight off an 18th centu...
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2010s Northern Irish Neoclassical Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Carrara Marble

Antique Regency Statuary Marble Fireplace
Located in Tyrone, Northern Ireland
Regency statuary marble fireplace of large scale and great quality. With full free standing Sienna marble columns, capped with egg and dart Doric capitals. In the centre of the friez...
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Mid-19th Century British Regency Antique Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Siena Marble, Statuary Marble

English Georgian Pine Classical Mantle with Carved Foliage & Medallions. C 1780
Located in Charleston, SC
English Georgian Pine Classical mantle with original carved gesso, foliage, and medallion motif. Late 18th Century. Overall measurements- 67.25" Wide at top / 7.25" Deep at top /...
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1780s English Georgian Antique Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Gesso, Pine

Antique English Statuario Brocatello Inlaid Fireplace Marble Mantel
Located in New York, NY
A distinguished English neoclassical fireplace mantel exquisitely carved in luminous Statuario marble and inlaid with striking panels of richly veined Brocatello marble. The composit...
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19th Century English Neoclassical Antique Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Marble

Rustic French Burgundy Limestone Fireplace Mantel – Timeless Natural Elegance
Located in Beervelde, BE
This authentic French fireplace surround is hand-carved from hard limestone sourced in Burgundy, renowned for its durability and warm tone. The stone’s soft honey-beige hue with subt...
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19th Century French Louis Philippe Antique Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Stone, Limestone

French Antique Front Shell Fireplace White Marble Cast Iron Insert
Located in Oostvoorne, NL
Experience the enchanting charm of our French antique shell fireplace, a masterpiece infused with history and style, now elevated with an added dimension of luxury. Crafted from prec...
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19th Century French Louis XV Antique Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Marble

English Georgian Carved Pine Fireplace Mantle with Gilt Elements
Located in Pittsburgh, PA
This 18th century neoclassical Adam style carved pine mantlepiece features a carved and gilded urn and scrolled foliate decorated frieze.
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Late 18th Century English George III Antique Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Pine

French Art Nouveau White Carrara Marble Mantelpiece
Located in London, GB
French Art Nouveau white carrara marble mantelpiece. Depth: 16? – 40.6 cm External height: 43 1/2” – 110.4 cm External width: 60? – 152.4 cm In...
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Late 19th Century French Art Nouveau Antique Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Marble

The Tri-Minimalist: A Modern Stone Fireplace with a Classic Stepped-In Profile
Located in Chicago, IL
The Tri-Minimalist is a modern stone fireplace with a classic, Art Deco stepped-in profile. The stonework steps in 3 times, hence this fireplace...
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2010s American Modern Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Limestone

NYC Waldorf Astoria Hotel Marble Mantel Suite 13K Neoclassical Verde Antico
Located in New York, NY
This small scale English Regency style mantel is carved from white statuary marble inlaid with Verde Antico. This rich green inlay runs the length of the jambs and across the apron, ...
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Early 20th Century European Neoclassical Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Marble

Small 18th Century Louis XV Marble Fireplace
Located in London, GB
A small 18th century Louis XV rouge marble fireplace. The richly moulded and panelled frieze is centred by a simple Rococo cartouche, all supported on panelled jambs. French, late 1...
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Late 18th Century Rococo Antique Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Marble

Vintage French Shell Carved Red Marble Fireplace Surround
Located in Sheridan, CO
Continental red marble fireplace surround, early 20th c., having molded mantel shelf, over shell carved apron, pilaster corner supports, ...
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Early 20th Century French French Provincial Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Marble

A Highly Important Empire Period Rosso Antico Chimneypiece with Portrait Reliefs
Located in London, GB
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...
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