ON HOLD
TWO are the most important features of this Antique Art Deco mantelpiece:
A) Its measurements (width cm 138, height cm 118) are rather “big” compared to the average of its brothers of the same era who, for example, are on average 120 cm wide and 105 cm high). In short, just to give you an idea taken from boxing categories, most Art Deco fireplaces can be called “Flies” (up to 55 kg) while our mantel falls into the “Light Heavyweight” category (up to 81 kg).
B) Its noble marble, a White Carrara Arabescato whose light background is a crystal white color while its veins range from light to dark gray..
A curiosity: Its name “Arabescato” comes from the name of the most varied Arabic decorations.. In Italian they would be called “Ghirigori” , that is, sets of lines as whimsical and bizarre as (purely as an example) the arabesques of ice on window panes..
SOME PRACTICAL-HISTORICAL BACKGROUND ON ITS BIRTHPLACE:
Its stylism is that (purest and fairest, let us give Caesar his due) of the Parisian Ateliers des Arts while (in 99% chance) his sculpture was made in Provence... Why on earth, you may ask, specifically in Provence! SIMPLE: Because there were ports there, and that is where our precious marble arrived, departing from the port of Carrara.. But there was another important reason: The French, as sculptors, are bad.... It may be that it is tiring to work a block of marble with hammer and chisel, it may be all that pesky dust, IT MAY BE WHAT IT MAY BE, the fact is that, all over Provence and even in a good part of Burgundy, when spring arrived and until the beginning of winter... THERE ARRIVED, EXERCISES OF SPANISH SCULPTORS who had experience (the Pyrenees are full of marbles..) and then THESE WORKERS COST LITTLE..
In short, all this rhyme to tell you that, almost without a doubt, this fireplace was put together by a sculptor who, working in the CÔTE D'AZUR sunshine, spoke and sang in a strait... Spanish....
PARISIAN FIND, “1930S” PERIOD, PERFECT PRESERVED CONDITION....
