French Antique 19th Century Limestone Fireplace

A French antique stone fireplace mantel from the 19th century, in limestone, with substantial legs carrying a tall header panel. The form is plain and grounded; the header does the work of holding the wall, and the legs give it a steady base. The details on the face are tooled rather than cut deep, and the edges have softened over time. The stone has taken on warm mineral patinas that come from a century and a half beside a working fire.

It measures 55 1/4 inches wide, 15 1/4 inches deep and 53 1/4 inches high. We do not have an opening measurement on file for this one, so ask before you plan a firebox around it. The limestone is dense enough to sit beside a modern insert or an open hearth, with the clearances the appliance requires. The wear is even and honest, with no structural repairs.

An antique fireplace mantel of this size belongs in a primary living room, a library, or a bedroom in a traditional house, where it can anchor a wall without filling it. This stone fireplace mantel has sold, but we usually have similar 19th-century French mantels in the yard or on the water; ask and we will send what is current.