Notice: This fireplace mantel will be available for viewing at our premises starting from October 18, 2025.
POMPADOUR “PIED GALBÉ” FIREPLACE IN WHITE CARRARA “GIOIA” MARBLE – LOUIS XV STRUCTURE WITH A LOUIS XIV FRIEZE – EXCELLENT MARBLE QUALITY AND COLOR CONSISTENCY – LATE 19th CENTURY – OUTSTANDING CONDITION – A REMARKABLY MODEST PRICE GIVEN ITS ELEGANCE AND RARITY.
This may sound like the kind of talk only insiders care about, but… if you've spent a little time browsing our site — or if, in your quest for the right mantelpiece, you've ventured into this fascinating world — you’ll likely have noticed how many antique fireplaces tend to resemble one another.
That’s no accident. Historically, it was architects (especially those from the esteemed Ateliers des Arts) who decided the stylistic guidelines for fireplace design. And those guidelines were followed with near-Germanic rigor. No improvisation. No unexpected deviations.
But this fireplace? This one breaks the mold — discreetly and elegantly.
Though it features Louis XV legs, its front panel is pure Louis XIV, creating a striking hybrid that somehow enhances both styles. A delicate breach in an otherwise inviolable aesthetic fortress… and what a beautiful breach it is.
This piece radiates a kind of quiet, natural sophistication. The lines are clean yet refined, with a restrained originality that sets it apart from more ornamental examples.
If I were to compare this mantel to a woman, the name that comes to mind is Carla Bruni — in her days as First Lady of France. Refined simplicity. Graceful presence. Minimal makeup. Every movement — even descending airplane steps — effortlessly sensual.
One last note:
This fireplace comes with a distinctive feature: a pair of ornate bronze side vents, both practical and decorative. Originally, these were designed to reclaim some of the heat from the firebox when opened. But I have another theory.
I believe the Parisian architect who designed this piece saw the fireplace as a beautiful woman. And, like any beautiful woman, adding a delicate pair of earrings doesn’t just enhance — it elevates. It turns beauty into intrigue.
