Reclaimed Limestone Mantel

A reclaimed limestone fireplace mantel with structured paneling and a gently arched inner opening. A tiered, molded shelf sits above a frieze and legs that are detailed with recessed rectangular panels; the inset borders trace the whole outline of the mantel. Distinct plinth bases carry the jambs. The stone is pale sand and warm buff, with cooler gray settled into the joints and the panel lines. Heavy pitting, fine mineral freckles and softly worn edges cover the face and give it a dry, tactile surface that shows its age plainly.

It measures 63 3/4 inches wide, 14 1/2 inches deep and 60 1/4 inches high; the arched opening is 49 1/2 inches wide and 44 1/2 inches high. At 14 1/2 inches deep it is shallower than most mantels of this height.

An antique fireplace mantel with this kind of discipline fits a formal salon, a quiet reading room or an entry gallery, around a working firebox or as a dry surround. The flat shelf takes heavy ceramics or framed art, and rich woods and natural metals bring out the warmth in the stone. The limestone fireplace mantel shown here has sold. We usually have similar paneled reclaimed mantels in the yard or on the water; ask and we will send what is current.