A George II grey viened white marble chimneypiece circa 1735, the design attributed William Kent

the breakfront mantelpiece with leaf carved decoration above a frieze centred by a concave rosette set between garlands supported by scrolled volute jambs further hung with garlands of foliage and deeply carved egg and dart border

The entire piece could benefit from a thorough clean. The mantelpiece is in generally good condition but has chips to the corners and minor chips along the edges. The frieze is also in good condition though there is a repair and chipping to the top left corner, some minor chips to the dentil carving and the guilloche decoration around the central flowerhead motif has an approximately 5cm loss. The frieze is chipped on the left hand side above the jamb.Some light chipping throughout the carved decoration. One jamb has a rust coloured stain to its base and light chipping throughout. The other has light chipping and has a more significant loss to an acanthus leaf tip on the side as well as an approximately 10cm loss to the moulded decoration, also on the side. The plinths are in good condition but have chips to their edges. Minor chips throughout. Some pitting to the surface.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The design of this chimneypiece demonstrates William Kent's meticulous study of the drawings of Inigo Jones that were in the posession of his mentor Lord Burlington. Several of Inigo Jones' drawings for chimneypieces reproduced by John Vardy in Some Designs of Mr Inigo Jones and Mr W^m Kent, 1744, show remarkably similar attributes. The frieze to that on p.16 has virtually identically designed fruited garlands around a central cartouche, and similarly tied with ribbons to either end of each garland. The flared jambs on the current chimneypiece, again swagged with bountiful garlands are supported by similarly shaped volutes although in the case of the Jones drawing capped by boys masks (op. cit. p.13). The ribbon-tied swags appear again in Kent's first design, circa 1727 for a chimneypiece and overmantle, executed by James Richards for the King's Drawing Room at Kensington Palace, where the chimney remains, the drawing is reproduced in John Cornforth, Early Georgian Interiors, Yale, 2004, fig.178, p.146. Further similar ribbon-tied fruited swags appear on a chimneypiece in The West Drawing Room at Holkham Hall, Norfolk (see John Cornforth, op.cit., fig.447, p.319). 

The floral and fruit filled garlands featured on the offered lot relate to the plaster ceiling that was installed in the same room, this link suggests that Kent produced an overall decorative scheme for a room that was largely untouched during alterations carried out at the end of the 18th century and during the 1840s. The Green Drawing Room was under Kent's original plan the Dining Room at Devonshire House. As such the bountiful fruit-garlands on this chimneypiece and the corresponding decoration of the ceiling would have been appropriate for a room of such use, fruit being the attribute of Ceres, goddess of agriculture and also relating to abundance.