Photograph by Werner Segarra An 18th-century Louis XIII fireplace warms the master bedroom of a modern-day Scottsdale home.

History, Highlights and Helpful Hints


Homeowners looking to add a unique focal point with a sense of history to a room might opt for an antique stone fireplace. These hand-carved pieces, which centuries ago heated rooms and provided fuel for cooking, show the signs of years of use.

Often quite large, “Antique stone fireplaces become a focal point in any room,” says Amy Johannsen of Antiquities, LLC. “Their size alone typically draws the eye, and they command attention. The larger fireplaces almost suggest that the home was built around them, much like a tree that has stood the test of time and couldn’t be removed.”
 
A number of options available today come from Europe, particularly France, Spain and Italy, and date from the 13th to the 19th centuries. Oftentimes, they are made from stone found near the homesite where the fireplace was located, and can range from limestone and marble to sandstone.

Photo by David B. Moore The date 1695 was carved into the mantel of this stone fireplace, which helps authenticate it as an antique.

Valerie Mayer of François & Co., an Atlanta-based business that specializes in imported antique fireplaces and reproductions, says that the style and ornamentation of a piece can help determine when it was produced. “For example, typical ornamentation of a true French Gothic fireplace often includes gargoyles, dragons or other fantastic figures,” she explains. “These figures speak of the fears of the people in Medieval times, when life was hard and the unknown very present.”

Johannsen notes that the original use and location of a fireplace also can affect its appearance. She says that many designs that were utilized for cooking reveal char marks and holes in the legs where rotisserie rods or hooks for drying meats were fastened.

Regardless of the features, antique stone fireplaces carry the markings of years past. Incorporating one in a new residence or a remodel is like “bringing a piece of history into the home,” concludes Mayer. “As a silent witness of generations that have come and gone, an antique fireplace adds soul and authenticity to the home.”