Unusual Mantel Spotted

[Willa]

This was in someone's FB feed. I don't know anything about the piece, except they purchased it at a salvage type place. I am guessing it is early 20th c. - 1920's, probably ceramic ?

The buyer bought it in the ivory looking finish, then painted it red with burgundy on top. The mirror definitely is not a great fit with it.

I really like the grotesque face and dramatic flames - not crazy about the subsequent paint selection. What do others think about the age and origins of this piece ?

before.jpg (133.12 KiB) Viewed 1867 times

duringcloseup.jpg (102.02 KiB) Viewed 1867 times

after.jpg (132.1 KiB) Viewed 1867 times

[Manalto]

Wonderful, clever mantel, including the iron insert. My guess would be late 19th early 20th century, but others are far better at this than I. What the buyer did with it and its surroundings is probably supposed to be unconventional, bold and daring but winds up a pig's breakfast.

[1918ColonialRevival]

It's a marriage of parts from two different mantels.

The top is from a c.1910-20 wooden mantel typical of what would have been in a living room of an upper-middle class house. It has a subtle Neoclassical styling to it that was popular during that time.

The bottom looks to be white marble and may have come from a commercial or public building, probably circa 1900 give or take 5 years. No idea what possessed someone to paint it red, but in doing so, they destroyed it.

[Willa]

Wonderful, clever mantel, including the iron insert. My guess would be late 19th early 20th century, but others are far better at this than I. What the buyer did with it and its surroundings is probably supposed to be unconventional, bold and daring but winds up a pig's breakfast.

I guessed that this mantel *might* be from a 20's french eclectic type house, maybe from the Detroit or Los Angeles area ? I'm guessing this based on similar houses I've seen on Old House Dreams, where the original decor/design was somewhat theatrical or eccentric.

I think the insert is from GasCoals - which is one of the only gas fireplace places I knew of (c. 2005) that made a decent antique looking insert. Most of them just look completely suburban or ultra modern - neither of which are to my taste.

When I first saw the post I thought the cream fireplace was the AFTER. I'm not a fan of the crazy color mishmash, at least in this context. The mirror's okay, just not with that mantel.

I wondered if the mantel was carved stone - or at the other end of the spectrum - chalk ware ?

[Willa]

No idea what possessed someone to paint it red, but in doing so, they destroyed it.

On the bright side it is probably latex paint, so it would be easy to remove from the stone or ceramic ?