An 18th Century Irish Palladian Chimneypiece Carved in Black Kilkenny Marble

An Irish Black Kilkenny fossil marble from the 18th century. The limestone header and jambs are packed with fossils of seashells and coral. A moulded, tiered, breakfront shelf sits atop a plain frieze with an uncarved tablet at its centre. The jambs are capped with scrolling brackets. This piece of Palladian architectural design is powerful in its simplistic beauty.