Waldorf Astoria Rouge Royal Louis XVI Regency Marble Mantel

This small scale Louis XVI Regency style mantel is carved out of Rouge Royale, a rich burgundy marble with white and gray veining. This hand carved piece has simple, clean lines. Jambs are decorated with cabled fluting, and the edges of the narrow shelf are modestly carved with a single groove. This simple detail is repeated along the face of all the trim moldings.

This piece epitomizes "Louis Seize", a style of architecture, furniture, decoration, and art just before the French Revolution. Designs in this style hearkened back to the purity and grandeur of the art of the Ancient Greeks. Carving this marble particularly in this style allowed the artist to showcase the exquisite stone. In his Dictionary of Trade and Industry, Blanqui described Rouge Royale 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 antique mantel was one of several pieces imported from Europe to furnish the historic Waldorf Astoria Hotel in NYC, which opened on October 1, 1931. This mantel is original to Room 1164. Please note the mirror is sold separately, this price includes the mantel only. A Waldorf Astoria authenticity card is included with your purchase.

Pictured still installed at the Waldorf Astoria, kindly request the reclaimed condition before purchasing. Located at our Scranton Warehouse, please allow 3-4 weeks for processing.