Antique 19th Century Limestone Fireplace

An antique stone fireplace mantel from the 19th century, large in scale and very still in effect. The limestone carries a palette of crusty white, faded ochre and raw gray, and thick layers of old patina are peeling away to show the pitted, porous stone underneath. Every outer corner has been rounded off by generations of hands and furniture passing it. There is no ornament to speak of; the mass and the surface are the whole story.

It measures 72 7/8 inches wide, 28 inches deep and 57 1/2 inches high overall, with an opening of 55 by 47 1/4 inches and a jamb depth of 12 1/2 inches. It is reclaimed whole, jambs, lintel and shelf, from a French house. The peeling patina is loose in places; we would not clean it back, and a mason can consolidate it if wanted.

An antique limestone fireplace of this size wants a large room: a great room with high ceilings, a long gallery, a hotel lobby, or a primary suite with a wall to spare. It sits well with wide walnut boards, chalky plaster, black steel windows and reclaimed oak beams. The stone fireplace mantel is in Marina Del Rey; come and see it, or ask us for drawings, photographs and a delivered price.