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 ANTIQUE FRENCH LOUIS XVI MARBLE TORTOISE MAHOGANY BUFFET CURVED GLASS PANELS $3,440.00 Time Remaining: 13d 22h 50m Buy It Now for only: $3,440.00 |
 Old French Louis XVI bronze marble coffee table 08418 $395.00 Time Remaining: 2d 15h 14m |
 Beautiful Carved French Antique Louis XVI Oak Marble Top Cabinet $1,750.00 Time Remaining: 23d 21h 24m Buy It Now for only: $1,750.00 |
 Vintage Pair Louis XVI Marble Top Mahogany Bronze Mounted End Tables Gordons Inc $599.00 Time Remaining: 19h 11m Buy It Now for only: $599.00 |
 Rare 1950 Medallion Limited Gilt French Louis XVI Marble Topped Cocktail Table $1,250.00 Time Remaining: 3d 12h 58m Buy It Now for only: $1,250.00 |
 Spectacular Loius XVI Bronze Mounted Marble Top Jansen Style Commode $2,350.00 Time Remaining: 14d 31m Buy It Now for only: $2,350.00 |
 Antique Louis XVI Marble Top Mahogany Commode Chest of Drawers from France 1880s $4,995.00 Time Remaining: 16d 18h 55m Buy It Now for only: $4,995.00 |
 K8315 ANTIQUE FRENCH LOUIS XVI MARBLE TOP SIDEBOARD $2,490.00 Time Remaining: 20d 14h 33m Buy It Now for only: $2,490.00 |
 MAGNIFICENT LOUIS XVI STYLE COMMODE BUFFET HAND PAINTED FAUX MARBLE CHINA DECO $2,500.00 Time Remaining: 5d 16h 41m Buy It Now for only: $2,500.00 |
 Louis XVI Marble Top French Server $2,495.00 Time Remaining: 1d 10h 24m Buy It Now for only: $2,495.00 |
 Vint Hollywood Regency Louis XVI French Cocktail Coffee Table With Marble Top $999.99 Time Remaining: 5d 2h 28m Buy It Now for only: $999.99 |
 11569 ANTIQUE FRENCH OAK LOUIS XVI MARBLE TOP SERVER $1,125.00 Time Remaining: 20d 14h 7m Buy It Now for only: $1,125.00 |
 ITALIAN ANTIQUE MARBLE TOP LOUIS XVI BOMBAY BEDROOM SET NIGHT STANDS 12IT001C $1,650.00 Time Remaining: 21d 3h 14m Buy It Now for only: $1,650.00 |
 FRENCH LOUIS XVI VITRINE DESK INSET MARBLE TOP J6667 $795.00 Time Remaining: 5d 17h 2m Buy It Now for only: $795.00 |
 7779 1 ANTIQUE FRENCH LOUIS XVI MARBLE TOP BUFFET $3,525.00 Time Remaining: 3d 13h 13m Buy It Now for only: $3,525.00 |
 55512 1 ANTIQUE FRENCH LOUIS XVI MARBLE TOP SIDEBOARD $3,860.00 Time Remaining: 1h 3m Buy It Now for only: $3,860.00 |
 ANTIQUE FRENCH LOUIS XVI MARBLE BUFFET CHINA HUTCH $5,930.00 Time Remaining: 3d 21h 18m Buy It Now for only: $6,590.00 |
 Exquisite French Antique Oak Louis XVI Marble Top Console Table $1,500.00 Time Remaining: 17d 21h 19m Buy It Now for only: $1,500.00 |
 Great French Louis XVI walnut marble cabinet as 1294 $775.00 Time Remaining: 18d 18h 21m Buy It Now for only: $775.00 |
 FRENCH LOUIS XVI WALNUT CONSOLE TABLE MARBLE TOP PIERCE CARVED c 1930 $799.00 Time Remaining: 4d 17h 39m Buy It Now for only: $799.00 |
 JEFFCO CARVED CHESTNUT MARBLE TOP LOUIS XVI BACHELORS CHEST NIGHTSTAND COMMODE $2,850.00 Time Remaining: 9d 15h 52m Buy It Now for only: $2,850.00 |
 111018 2 ANTIQUE FRENCH LOUIS XVI MARBLE TOP COMMODE CHEST W DRAWERS $2,870.00 Time Remaining: 14d 19h 29m Buy It Now for only: $2,870.00 |
 NICE MARBLE TOP ANTIQUE ITALIAN LOUIS XVI STYLE DRESSER 12IT001B $1,650.00 Time Remaining: 20d 12h 25m Buy It Now for only: $1,650.00 |
 JEFFCO CHESTNUT MARBLE TOP LOUIS XVI CHEST NIGHTSTAND BED SIDE TABLE COMMODE $2,850.00 Time Remaining: 9d 15h 52m Buy It Now for only: $2,850.00 |
 11563 2 FRENCH LOUIS XVI MARBLE TOP SERVER $2,105.00 Time Remaining: 14d 2h 39m Buy It Now for only: $2,105.00 |
 A Pair of Louis XVI Style Marble Top Gilt Mounted Commodes Side Tables Kidney $3,999.00 Time Remaining: 4d 14h 13m Buy It Now for only: $3,999.00 |
 55512 2 ANTIQUE FRENCH LOUIS XVI MARBLE TOP SERVER $2,625.00 Time Remaining: 1h 4m Buy It Now for only: $2,625.00 |
 BEAUTIFUL ITALIAN MARBLE TOP LOUIS XVI STYLE BEDROOM SET VANITY 12IT001E $1,450.00 Time Remaining: 21d 4h 12m Buy It Now for only: $1,450.00 |
 ANTIQUE LOUIS XVI Revival Walnut and Black Marble Table $3,450.00 Time Remaining: 21h 34m Buy It Now for only: $3,450.00 |
 FRENCH LOUIS XVI STYLE MARBLE TOPPED LINGERIE NIGHT OCCASIONAL TABLE CA 1940 $1,600.00 Time Remaining: 18d 23h 9m Buy It Now for only: $1,600.00 |
 Pair of Luis XVI style ovalside tables with marble top $5,800.00 Time Remaining: 27d 14h 37m Buy It Now for only: $5,800.00 |
 Magnificent French Antique Louis XVI sideboard w marble $5,500.00 Time Remaining: 29d 11h 40m Buy It Now for only: $5,500.00 |
 ANTIQUE GILTWOOD FRENCH LOUIS XVI DINING TABLE W MARBLE TOP FABULOUS $5,500.00 Time Remaining: 1d 21h 21m |
 19th C Lovely Period French Louis XVI Trumeau Mirror Marble Console Table $12,000.00 Time Remaining: 18d 2h 10m Buy It Now for only: $12,000.00 |
 6302 2 FRENCH MAHOGANY LOUIS XVI MARBLE TOP COMMODE $2,740.00 Time Remaining: 14d 15h 12m Buy It Now for only: $2,740.00 |
 FRENCH LOUIS XVI MAHOGANY BRONZE LOW TABLE MARBLE TOP $595.00 Time Remaining: 4d 17h 39m Buy It Now for only: $595.00 |
 GORGEOUS ELEGANT FRENCH LOUIS XVI STYLE MARBLE TOPPED SIDEBOARD ON FLUTED LEGS $3,600.00 Time Remaining: 12d 14h 47m Buy It Now for only: $3,600.00 |
 NICE PAIR OF LOUIS XVI STYLE MARBLE TOPPED NIGHT TABLES NIGHTSTANDS CA 1930 $1,400.00 Time Remaining: 4d 15h 38m Buy It Now for only: $1,400.00 |
 French antique Louis XVI style buffetmarble topcirca 1900 EB T2123 $2,812.00 Time Remaining: 19d 21h 53m Buy It Now for only: $2,812.00 |
 Pair of Mahogany Louis XVI Kidney Shaped Marble Top End Tables $2,495.00 Time Remaining: 5d 19h 53m Buy It Now for only: $2,495.00 |
 French Louis XVI Oval Marble Top Center Table with Elaborate carving 19th $2,800.00 Time Remaining: 7d 1h 2m Buy It Now for only: $2,800.00 |
 Antique Carved Country French Walnut Marble Top Tall Chest Cabinet Louis XVI $3,600.00 Time Remaining: 22d 18h 55m Buy It Now for only: $3,600.00 |
 Antique Louis XVI Transitional Marble Top Commode from France $4,500.00 Time Remaining: 26d 18h 48m Buy It Now for only: $4,500.00 |
 Antique original Italian Louis XVI Console Marble Top $8,000.00 Time Remaining: 8d 13h 16m Buy It Now for only: $8,000.00 |
 Antique French Louise XVI Tall Table Fern Stand Walnut Wood Marble $880.00 Time Remaining: 8d 2h 53m Buy It Now for only: $880.00 |
 Gorgeous Vintage Marble Top Cabinet Louis XVI Hand Painted La area delivery150 $1,250.00 Time Remaining: 14h 19m Buy It Now for only: $1,250.00 |
 Antique Louis XVI Style Marble Ormolu Center Table $9,300.00 Time Remaining: 11d 17h 46m Buy It Now for only: $9,300.00 |
Xvi Marble
History of Fireplaces
Louis
The term Louis refers to the name of 18 French Monarchs who reigned from 1300 to the French Revolution. The Louis Mantelpiece should more rightly be called a Louis revival mantelpiece as it was the product of the 19th century when French architects and interior decorators sought to produce styles, which mimicked the type of fireplace which was popular during the reigns of Louis XIV, XV, and XVI. In reality the fireplaces of this era were a lot more elaborate than the revival designs, which were made in France and England during the Victorian era. A typical Louis revival projected around 9 inches from the wall. The front was flat and box like with a wide rectangular opening. The designs were more graceful than the British marble fireplace of the era and were often made by Italian craftsmen with extra detail and finishing undertaken by French artisans.
The revival Louis XV surrounds have graceful curves and the designs which are popular today are much more likely to be from this origin. Louis XVI fireplaces are square and much more masculine and could be mistaken for many traditional English designs which have been popular for 200 years or more. The small and feminine Louis XV Pompadour has probably been the most successful of all the Louis designs.
　
Georgian
The Georgian era spanned the years 1714 to 1820, although the latter period is more correctly called Regency. It was during this time that many of today's stately homes were being built or remodelled as the landed aristocracy flourished. Inigo Jones, an architect during the previous century, was the inspiration for the early Georgian period up to 1760. His pattern books were available to landed gentry throughout the country and, filled with designs incorporating elements from Greek mythology, they inspired designer's like William Kent to provide fireplaces which formed a voluptuous centrepiece to grace grand rooms.
The history of the fireplace now falls conveniently into two halves. Immense, ornate designs characterised the earlier part, while the latter half saw mantelpieces with a more subtle, classical influence.
In middle class households designs were altogether simpler - faux imitations of marble or expensive hardwoods replaced the real thing. More reserved, and cheaper, fireplaces would also be seen in the less important rooms of stately homes indicating that the pockets of even the richest landowners were not limitless! These designs did not percolate down at all to the farmers and yeomen who made up the majority of house owners. Their fireplaces were often the inglenook designs with large wooden lintel that we see in thatched cottages today.
The second half of the century is, without doubt the age of Robert Adam and the fireplaces that bear his name. With his brother James, Robert Adam produced pattern books covering all aspects of architecture but it is probably for the fireplace that he is best known. Adam was a master of detail - his designs, although smaller and less extravagant than were common in the previous fifty years, included beautifully finished detail, almost all taken from classical mythology. This could include a gold-leaf Etruscan motif or even a Wedgwood ceramic plaque.
Important rooms featured designs in fine white statuary marble embellished with swags, ribbons, lyres and urns, whilst less important rooms, and the vast emerging middle class, would be supplied by scaled down copies of these designs in a variety of imitation designs and materials. In the never-ending change that is furnishing fashion, the designs became more classical and less ornate in the dying years of the Georgian period and influences, such as the Chinoiserie (Chinese influenced design) favoured by the Prince Regent, George IV, became more evident. In many ways this period was the heyday of the fireplace, the design dimensions and features still copied in a myriad of imitations for today's market.
Regency
Like every décor trend over the last four hundred years the Regency period cannot be seen in isolation. In fact, it is incorporates elements and inter relates with trends, social differences and politics both before and after the period. Regency fireplaces tended to be much less elaborate than those of designers such of Robert Adam. Gone were the small inset pastoral scenes so beloved of the mid 18th century aristocracy. In their place came very rectilinear designs with the typical reeded leg. The leg itself might be flat with the reeding as an inset or even in the form of single or double Greek columns apparently supporting the fireplace header. The reeded panel might be taken across the header but other designs included twin parallel lines, Acanthus leaves or other Greek images - Medusa's head or Roman triumph images were also popular.
Marble was a popular material for fireplaces although, at times, supplies from Italy, Spain and Portugal were blockaded by the Napoleonic wars. Statuary marble (the variety used for sculpting statues) was preferred, although its cost tended to limit its use to the main, public rooms. Other 'reception' and 'retiring' might have fireplaces in faux marble, manufactured in wood or toughened plaster and painted, by highly skilled but low paid artisans, to resemble marble.
In France fireplace style had developed separately from that of Britain. During the French Revolution, many of the extravagant chimneypieces installed throughout the reigns of Louis XIV, XV and XVI were ripped out and shipped abroad. In their place came fireplaces, still influenced by the empires of antiquity but with less decoration and grander mantelshelves than examples within the UK. With France's close relationship with the fledgling USA this influence can also be seen in New England homes of the period including the White House (which is only white because the Brits burnt it in 1812 and it had to be repainted - white!).
Regency influence has remained popular to this day. Many town houses from this era survive in London although the largest houses were demolished for their land during the late Victorian housing boom. Where Regency houses had been stripped of their original fireplaces by subsequent generations keen to modernise their homes, modern reproductions have been used to fill the gaps and recreate at least some of the splendour of that period. Indeed, the simpler design of Regency fireplaces has proved easier to reproduce than the elaborate splendour of its predecessors which are regarded as 'over the top' by the present generations.
Victorian
Victoria was on the throne for such a long time, 1837 - 1901, that it is impossible to regard her reign as a single period. In the early years, up to Albert's death in the 1860s designs were still influenced by the classical themes so obvious in Regency design. However, as the age progressed other movements began to influence design with the two main designs schools being Arts and Crafts & Art Nouveau It is also worth mentioning the Louis design, made popular by the availability of original fireplaces ripped out of the châteaux of French nobility at the time of the Revolution.
About the Author
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Fine Ormolu and White Marble Clock Set by Vincenti