A William IV Irish Old English Carrara Marble Chimneypiece

A strong architectural 1830s chimneypiece carved fully in Old English Carrara marble. Wide, capped footblocks support jambs with arch topped fielded panels. The frieze and inner frame step back from the jambs and are cantered with an unusual square tablet carved with a Scallop shell motif. This motif is often used as a symbol of love due to its connection with Venus, and the chimneypiece might therefore have been a marital gift. A thin tiered shelf tops the piece.