Hand-Carved Fireplaces and Mantels

This is a nice 19th century French plain beige limestone teint original antique fireplace mantle in a hard limestone. It could work in a timeless minimalistic interior. In the images...

Though this antique carved English oak fireplace dates from the late 19th century, it draws inspiration from eras across the ages. It is elaborately carved throughout and handcrafted...

21st Century Georgian-Style Hand-Carved White Marble Fireplace Mantelpiece A superb and unique fireplace mantel, produced under licence from Kenwood House, Hampstead, London, and cr...

A very large reclaimed French Rococo style fireplace in white marble. The profusely carved jambs with scrolls, shells and acanthus supporting a wide serpentine equally carved frieze ...

Delightful French Louis XVI "Demi Lune" style fireplace mantel. This Parisian Louis XVI fireplace mantel is the perfect mix of simple and strong profiled elements. Executed in a lo...

This impressive fireplace made in walnut wood during the second half of the 19th century shows a very rich and eclectic decoration typical of the Second Empire's taste. Its rolled ja...

This exquisite Louis XV-style mantel, dating back to 1850s France, is crafted from a rare, imported marble with warm coffee tones and striking burnt orange veining. Intricate hand-ca...

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 ...

19th century antique French, Louis Phillipe fireplace mantel. Hand carved in desirable Italian bardiglio marble which is from the Carrara regi...

Elegant and petite French vintage fireplace surround in bicolor hard stone. An authentic decorative element for original home-decor. Inside jambs has some filling. Nature is amazingl...

This is another one of a kind original fireplace surround in White Statuary Marble. The marble of the mantle has a nice patina. Very fine details in the carving. A great condition of...

Different bicolor Louis XIV period mantel in Burgundy hard stone. Interesting is the different color, shades in the mantel. The shelf shows the detail of the work of the maker. It or...

American White Pine fire place mantel with carved molded edges, one board back, and rectangular carved vertical legs with squared plinths . Early 19th Century . Fire Box Dim. 40" Tall / 40.5" Wide...

Large Double-Slip Georgian Style Fireplace Surround in finest quality Italian Violette Brescia Marble. Measures: Depth: 8” – 20.3 cm External Height...

Important fireplace, ancient mantle for hearth in stone, richly carved and decorated by hand, columns with classic beam and and pediment with frame, hand-built in the late 19th centu...

An exceptional carved chimney piece with mirror above, inspired by the Chinese room of Claydon. The elaborate carved decoration following the style of Luke Lightfoot...

This is a French Country side LXIII period limestone antique fireplace mantel. This piece was standing against a doorway on the right side. Shelf can be added on demand. It still ha...

Monochrome beige limestone fireplace surround with straight minimal lining. A perfect fit for a eclectic timeless design. French 19th century period timeless elegancy. Measurements: ...

A French country limestone original antique fireplace mantle from the Louis XVI period, 18th century. The jambs are straight. Kind of Classic rustic chimney piece. Measures: 162 cm...

Antique Georgian carved fireplace surround in pine. This wooden fireplace surround features finely carved detailing, reeded columns, a bow-fronted shelf and panelled frieze. A hand...

This bicolor burgundy limestone or hard-stone antique fireplace mantel is tailler and hammered. The small restorations on the jambs fits perfect for a French country style interior d...

A very special and typical French country original antique fireplace mantel from the south of France. Very rich moving on the front. The center cartouche has a hart like design. M...

Louis XV style mantel in onyx This fireplace is sold with its original cast iron insert and with its marble floor.

Antique fireplace in white Carrara marble, hand-carved mantle with central shell and decorations on the legs, built entirely by hand in Italy in the 1700s, from Genoa. It has no sid...

21st Century Victorian Carved Corbel Marble Fireplace Mantlepiece. Hand Carved From Italian Statuary White Marble Made In England. Based On A Late Victorian Early Edwardian Design. S...

A Noir de Mazy en Onyx marble combination vintage fireplace surround from the Louis Phillipe period, 19th century. Measures: 130 cm exterior width 51.18 inch 105 cm exterior heigh...

A simple vintage French country Burgundy hard stone fireplace surround. This is high Petite bourguignon from the 18th century from a small town near Dijon. Perfect for a square fireb...

Lovely Belgium red marble fireplace mantel. This very elegant mantel has a beautiful shaped and profiled topshelf above a shallow paneled ...

A Regency style fireplace from the mid 19th century executed in Italian Statuary white and Siena marbles. The jambs with inset Siena panels supported on foot blocks, terminating with...

American brass and polished steel fire tools resting on a turned urn finial marble stand. Set consist of poker, tong and shovel, Early 19th Century.

A fine 18th century French chimney piece. This is a fine Louis XVI period small bourguignon original antique fireplace surround from the Dijon region. It was installed in a paneled r...

A very petite and unusual original 17th century limestone fireplace mantle with in the center a detail of a star. Perfect to fit a sma...

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 ...

This beautiful French 19th century Louis XVI mantel features pristinely gilded bronze mounts with ribbons and a floral design. The mounts contrast quite well against the marble’s lig...

This yellow limestone is sometimes called "la pierre d'or". It was used in a lot of French Provence charming interiors. This vintage mantel is from the ...

A small and fine burgundy bicolor hard stone vintage fireplace surround. The surface is hammered and tailler. It was built in the Louis XIII period, 17th century. Measures: 130,5 cm ...

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...

Very nice antique reclaimed fireplace surround with straight lines from the Beaujolais region. Coming from the town Buxy. The Buxy stone w...

Alluring 18th century Dutch Louis XV fireplace mantel. Very pleased to offer this alluring Dutch Louis XV fireplace mantel in striking Arabescato mar...

A large Rococo Louis XV period fireplace in rich and highly variegated Rouge Griotte de Belgique marble. The cantered jambs having scrolled and stiff acanthus leaf carvings with shap...

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...

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...

An 18th century period Louis XVI fireplace executed in Italian Calacatta marble. Compact and attractive with slim tapering ribbon crossed fluted columns with Acanthus leaf corner blo...

Antique old vintage fireplace mantle, hand-built in black lacquered solid wood with bas-relief floral carvings, from Italy 19th century, ideal both as a fireplace frame and as a bed ...

A late Regency period Carrara marble fireplace surround, the stepped shelf above panelled frieze with elegant shallow arch with applied foliate roundel to the centre, the jambs with ...

A splendid antique nineteenth-century Regency period Portoro marble fireplace surround, the frieze, corner-blocks and jambs carved with raised and fielded panels. English c.1830. A ...

Antique fireplace mantle in terracotta, richly carved with a pair of cherubs holding a noble coat of arms, composed in the early 1900s in Tuscany, Italy. maximum measurements cm W 1...

21st Century Nero Potoro Marble Fireplace Mantlepiece. This Luxury Marble Fireplace Mantlepiece Is Hand Carved From Natural Nero Portoro Marble. It Has B...

19th Century Louis Marble Fireplace Mantlepiece 19th Century Statuary White Marble Fireplace ThIs Victorian Louis XV Style Marble Fireplace Is Hand Carv...

Antique Carved stone fireplace, small in size and with geometric carvings, so adaptable to any interior both com estile and as a size, b...

This magnificent chimneypiece is carved from fine statuary marble with contrasting inlaid thumbnails of dark Rosso Lavanto across the frieze. The signature motifs, expert craftsmans...

This extraordinary mantel is superbly carved, firstly with a simple dentil cornice; above a front panel, carved in high-relief with birds, scrolling leaves and tendrils. The jambs ar...

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 ...

An elegant, hand-carved white and pink marble fireplace, adorned with urns, garlands, and classic relief details. Its symmetrical design, featuring round columns and Ionic capitals, ...

American white pine sunburst mantel piece with carved molded edge top, decorative carved urns and flanking fluted capital ringed columns. Early 19th Centu...

An impressive and large scale Victorian Tudor revival oak fireplace, reclaimed from a cottage in Penrith, Cumbria. This stunning 19th century English chimneypiece is certain to make ...

This English Regency style mantel is carved from white marble with graceful white veining. A curved groove frame runs across the apron and down each leg, and circular medallions feat...

Made from veined Carrara marble and white statuary marble. The centre plaque with a well carved mask of Apollo surrounded by a sunburst. The console jambs are under fluted corbels...

An exquisite example of French Rococo artistry, this antique fireplace mantel dates to the mid-18th century, circa 1740–1760, during the reign of Louis XV. Crafted from rare Rouge Ro...

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...