United Kingdom - Building and Garden Elements

A pair of antique late 19th century Maw & Co tiles from Broseley Salop workshops in Shropshire. In turquoise and dark navy blue majolica glaze, one 6-inch tile is decorated with the...

A Victorian brass centre pull with petal shaped back plate. Projection from door: 3 inches.

An antique Georgian style carved pine and composition fire surround. Crafted from solid pine with a stripped and waxed finish this fire surround has an elegant compact and simple de...

An antique Victorian oak front door with an original wrought iron letterbox and peephole originating from early 20th century France. The warm colour and bare wood finish of this antique oak door gives it a timeless appearance that would make a handsome entry door for period and modern homes alike. Victorian in style, this antique external door...

A rare late 13th / early 14th century limestone column capital reclaimed from Beverley Minster, Yorkshire. Dating to circa 1300, this limestone capital originates from the medieval p...

19th Century Cast-Iron Tiled Fireplace Combination. Recently Salvaged From A London Town House. This Beautiful English Made Fireplace Dated Circa 1880 Comes With Its Original Full Se...

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...

A very unusual and rare Arts & Crafts hand shovel of flat wide shape with a shaped oak handle, the main body in brass and attached with copper rivets. The body of the shovel has a di...

Pair of antique French marble column pedestals French, 19th Century Height 107cm, diameter 30.5cm This pair of grand, green marble pedestals sit ...

A rare pair of very fine Louis XV Rococo marble fireplaces in a beautifully veined seravezza marble. On each, the serpentine shelf is mounted o...

This is an antique fireside warming pan. An English, copper and iron decorative piece, dating to the early Georgian period, circa 1750. Whilst used in p...

An Arts and Crafts copper coal bucket with stylized heart decoration, hand wrought iron handle and iron pad feet.

Embrace the beauty of imperfection with this small, but perfectly formed, carved stone planter. An early primitive piece, likely dating to early 1800s, hand carved from natural stone...

Wonderful 19th Century French garden table. Features two scroll framed supports in original green paint that support the marble top which has the most amazing patina. This super tab...

Very large Italian patinated bronze and carved wood sculptural jardinières Italian, c. 1874 Jardinières: Height 93cm, diameter 75cm Base: Height 87cm, diameter 62cm Overall: Height ...

Luigi Caccia Dominioni, rare original brass and marble doorstop, Italy circa 1948, manufactured by Azucena Original first production as shown by the s...

E W Godwin. In the style of. An Anglo-Japanese designed fire screen, with a stepped top rail and a Japanese silk embroidery depicting a pair of parrots or parakeets amongst floral de...

A rare 19th century Georgian Triptych paneled cast iron fireplace set. A central paneled grate opening with a central circular framed cherub h...

A rare & sculptural 16th C. Marble mortar from the ancient city of Salamanca, Spain. Likely used by chemists/alchemists of the time due to its size and wear Heavily, heavily patina...

Pair of 19th century mahogany overdoor pediments A pair of mahogany overdoor pediments of architectural form, with classical broken arches and central plinths, over a dogtooth denti...

Two large Georgian wrought iron panels. Two Georgian, wrought ironpanels in the Neoclassical and Regency style. The panels have a beautiful weathere...

A very well made English wrought iron garden or pedestrian gate. Blacksmith made. Additional dimensions Height 234 cm is the tallest part.

This 20th-century French style marble fireplace mantel exudes timeless elegance and sophistication. With its graceful lines and classic design, it captures the essence of French craf...

A set of two artistic Brutalist bronze door handles with abstract textured design. They have a bright patina protected with a coating against wear. European 1970s with the original A...

A nice small 19th century cast iron urn.

Cool pair of Italian marble pedestal columns Great to display decorative pieces such as busts or vases Classically fluted and with great colouration to the stone Can live inside o...

19th Century antique pottery jardinier / planter, having a lovely farmhouse scene to the front with sheep and sheep dog, the top having a pie crust sha...

Large finely carved oak renaissance revival fireplace surround panel. Profusely carved with a lion mask and swags to centre beneath shell overhang. Supported by winged mythical talli...

An English exterior door for glazing, with a stripped and sanded finish.

A large bronze wall fountain depicting an angel. This unusual and striking water feature is inscribed 'sed aqua quam dabo ei fiet in eo fons aquae salients in vitam aeturnum'. The tr...

An original Art Deco period Burr Walnut fire surround, reclaimed from a house in Southend-on-Sea. Beautifully veneered, this reclaimed fireplace is finished in a clear varnish, enhan...

A period English Arts & Crafts copper fire insert with handcrafted stylized floral decoration and hand riveted details throughout. Internal measurements: Height, 27inches Width,...

A large and substantial late 19th / early 20th century limestone bolection fire surround, circa 1900. With its appealing neutral stone colour, with light wear in places that only add...

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...

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 set of 19th century fire tools, with sphere shaped handles, barley twist design and pierced shovel. Presented in a polished steel finish. Sizes given of the biggest fire tool.

An impressive Goddard & Gibbs stained glass panel of a stylised phoenix on a geometric background. Each feature of the mythical bird is expertly crafted in a variety of vibrant colo...

A stylish mid-19th century English gold and white bathroom bowl sink, ideal for positioning sunk into a counter or mounted on a surface alongside wall-mounted taps. Though this bowl...

A very large substantial and organically well weathered Classical recon stone urn and pedestal. The egg and dart rim with gadrooned urn sitting on a tapering socle. The urn is stood ...

A very rare and important English 18th century (circa 1760) statuary and sienna marble fireplace with highly detailed carved centr...

This is an antique boot wiper. An English, cast iron entrance shoe pull by Walrond of Exeter, dating to the Edwardian period, circa 1910. Fascinating early 20th century pull, ideal ...

A rare fully skirted English, Victorian period, cast iron bath tub. Rare fully skirted English, Victorian period, cast iron bath tub.

An antique stained glass window depicting a Victorian woman spinning yarn. Hand-painted stylised flowers and a vibrant yellow border surround the woman while she effortlessly spins t...

Carved from Carrara marble, this attractive fireplace surround exhibits expert craftsmanship. The design elegantly incorporates charming siena marble buttons beneath the shelf, sea...

Massive pair of royal doulton jars with lids which are stamped. Made during the second world war, bearing the date 17.03.41. We beleive these to have been made for the rms during the...

A pair of large Italian 1970s bamboo and rattan raised planters in the style of Vivai Del Sud on orignal castors with bamboo under shelf.

C R Ashbee, The Guild of Handicraft. Chipping Camden. An English Arts & Crafts hand-made copper fireplace fender with stylized floral decoration and h...

An elegant 19th century Victorian style statuary marble corbel fireplace surround. A finely carved reeded top shelf sits above a recessed panel...

A very good quality pair of 19th century Chinese Cantonese (Rose medallion) porcelain garden seats. Each with pierced decoration to the top and sides. Wonderful bold hand painted cla...

Wall hanging Victorian cast iron royal coat of arms shield plaque This is a charming wall plaque is a heavy piece, it was originally wall hung probab...

An antique late 19th century white pine arched glazed door suitable for interior use. Dating to circa 1870, this elegant door was sourced from a Victorian orangery in Tetbury, Englan...

A petite and beautiful Ashburton French antique Victorian fireplace of charm, well carved corbels adorned simple jambs, great depth of colo...

A large antique round transfer printed basin with a triform stand sourced from the property of American-born British violinist and conductor Yeh...

A pair of large substantial reclaimed bolection fireplaces from Italy, executed in a form of Carrara marble known as Calacatta Vagli . Pale background colours with gold tones and hue...

Pair of Antique Terracotta Figures by John Matthews. A pair of Terracotta models of Bacchantes sculpted by John Matthews. Both statues are situated on integral circular socles impres...

A single large antique oak wall panel salvaged from a British church. It dates from the early 1900s during the Victorian era and features solid oak construction with a rich warm wood...

A beautiful set of elaborately crafted antique wrought iron side gates originating from France circa 1890. These tall gates offer a spectacular entrance to a garden or courtyard with...

Single square door handle with basket weaving relief. Cast bronze relief in perfect condition. The bronze has a subtitle patina due to the textured surface and its age, circa 1970's....