Antique Louis XV Style Rouge Royal Marble Mantel

This Rouge Royal Louis XV marble mantel was imported from Europe by Danny Alessandro & Edwin Jackson Mantel Company, a fine mantel dealer that specialized in fireplaces and mantels for private clients (such as the White House). Made from a stunning material, rouge royale is rich oxblood in color with white, gray, and eggplant veining. In his Dictionary of Trade and Industry, Blanqui described this marble as, "This marble with a red background, mixed with white, and sometimes blue, is extracted in the town of Franchimont, near Philippeville, in the province of Namur. In all the Belgian marbles, it is the one that was most frequently used in the decoration of monuments: in the palace of Versailles, the Louvre, Palais Royal, and in many other public and private buildings."

This piece epitomizes the emerging design aesthetics of the Louis XV period, characterized by curved forms, versus the more formal, box like furniture of the preceding Louis XIV. True to its time period, this mantel features a serpentine apron highlighted by a scrolled fleur de lis motif carved into the center, while detailed lines highlight the carved panels on the angled vertical supports, as well as across the apron.

Quarried from Hautmont, Belgium, Rouge Royale was widely used in furniture and decoration, especially during the construction of Versailles Castle and Louveciennes.
This mantel was removed in very good condition, having wear consistent with its age. Located at our Scranton Warehouse, please allow 3-4 weeks for processing.