15th CENTURY MEDIEVAL FRENCH ARCHITECTURAL STONE FIREPLACE W/CARVED LIONS/ARCH

Description

THIS AUCTION IS FOR A MAGNIFICENT ANTIQUE EUROPEAN STONE FIREPLACE. I RESCUED IT FROM A BURNED OUT MANSION IN ABOUT 1987. I HAD PLANS TO REASSEMBLE IT ON MY PROPERTY, BUT THINGS HAVE JUST NOT SEEMED TO WORK OUT, SO IT IS TIME TO PASS IT ALONG. IT HAS SAT IN STORAGE SINCE I RETREIVED IT. THIS PIECE IS FOR SOMEONE WHO IS BUILDING A LARGE UPSACLE NEW MANSION, (THINK ASPEN, JACKSON HOLE, BEVERLY HILLS AND SIMILAR AREAS. IT IS QUITE LARGE, APPROX. 17' WIDE BY 11' HIGH. MADE OF BROWNSTONE, IT HAS 2 HUGE SLEEPING LIONS THAT HAVE BENCHES BUILT INTO THEIR BACKS THAT WILL SEAT 2-3 PEOPLE COMFORTABLY ON EACH SIDE. SERPENTS CRAWL DOWN THE LIONS BACK AND FORM THE FREESTANDING ARCH OVER THE FIREPIECE FRONT. INSET INTO THE REAR WALL IS THE ACTUAL FIREPLACE AREA WHICH HAS AN ANCIENT ARCHAIC LATIN SAYING. I HAD TO GO TO A CLASSIC LATIN SCHOLAR TO GET A TRANSLATION AS MORE MODERN LATIN WAS NOT REFLECTED IN THE TEXT. THE TRANSLATION IS ROUGHLY PARAPHRASED AS: ''ALWAYS A FIRE OF GREAT PINE LOGS, AND THE DOORPOSTS OF THIS HOME SHALL EVER BE FREE FROM DARKNESS''. ON THE MIRROR SIDE/MATCHING RIGHT SIDE OF THE PIECE WITH THE LATIN, IS A PLANET/MOON WITH FUMES COMING OUT OF IT WITH PERIOD STYLE ELFS/GREMLINS, ETC INHALING THE FUMES. I CAN GET A PIC OF THIS FOR THE INTERESTED BUYER.  THERE IS A BIT OF DAMAGE TO THE SERPENT'S HEADS THAT WERE VANDALIZED WHILE THE BUILDING SAT OPEN FOR SEVERAL YEARS. I HAVE 1 OF THE SERPENT HEADS THAT YOUR GOOD, SKILLED BROWNSTONE MASON CAN GRAFT BACK ON THE PROPER LION AFTER CASTING 1 TO ATTACH TO THE OTHER SIDE.IF INTERESTED I HAVE A MASON WHO WILL DO THIS, AND I WILL HAVE THIS PERFORMED AFTER THE TRANSACTION IS COMPLETED. THE BUYER CAN HOLD BACK A % OF FINAL CHARGE UNTIL THIS IS DONE TO THEIR SATISFACTION. I HAVE MANY, MANY MORE PICS OF THIS AND CAN SHARE W/AN INTERESTED PARTY. IT IS MY OPINION THAT THIS PIECE INSTALLED IN THE RIGHT HOUSE IN THE RIGHT LOCATION WILL ADD 0,000+ TO THE VALUE OF THE HOME.
HERE IS A LITTLE INFO ON THE MANSION AND THE FIREPIECE/FIREPLACE BACKGROUND HISTORY.
IN THE 1880'S-83 A WEALTHY RAILROAD FAMILY IN TROY, NY BUILT THE MANSION AS PICTURED OVERLOOKING THE HUDSON RIVER ON THE BLUFFS IN NORTH TROY, NY. THE FAMILY NAME WAS DAW. WHILE THE HOME WAS BEING BUILT THE MISTRESS OF THE FAMILY WAS TRAVELING IN EUROPE AND BUYING ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS AND HAVING THEM SHIPPED HOME TO INSTALL IN HER NEW HOME. THIS WAS EVIDENCED, BY THIS PIECE AND A TILE FRIEZE THAT CAME FROM POMPEII AS WELL AS OTHER ARTIFACTS, MANY WHICH WERE DESTROYED IN THE FIRE. THE ORIGINAL PLANS WERE FOUND IN THE CELLAR SAFE AND SAID IT WAS FROM AN APPROX. 14-15TH CENTURY FRENCH CHALET. SADLY THE PLANS WERE ON DISPLAY ON THE WALL OF THE LOCAL BREW PUB AND DISAPPEARED. THE MANSION BECAME A RESTAURANT IN THE 1920-30'S AND PEOPLE USED TO GET MARRIED IN THE FIREPLACE. IT SADLY BURNED DUE TO PAINTER'S NEGLIGENCE/SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION OF POORLY DISPOSED OF RAGS, IN THE EARLY 1980'S.
AS I SAID I DONT EXPECT A PURCHASE WITHOUT MUCH MORE INVESTIGATION ON THE BUYER'S PART. PLEASE CONTACT ME WITH ANY QUESTIONS OR FOR MORE INFO. I CAN ALSO MAKE MY SELF AVAILABLE WITH A ASSISTANT TO BE ON SITE AT YOUR NEW LOCATION TO ASSIST IN RE-ASSEMBLY FOR EXPENSES/PER DIEM. THANK YOU FOR LOOKING.
ITEM IS IN TROY, NY AND WILL BE MADE READY TO SHIP VIA YOUR TRUCK, ON PALLETS AND SHRINK WRAPPED WHERE NECESSARY.