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I t will come as no surprise that at Jamb – the Pimlico Road gallery whose name derives from the term used to describe the uprights of a chimneypiece – the fireplace lies at the very heart of the business.
For founders Will Fisher and Charlotte Freemantle, the chimneypiece is always the starting point when creating a room. You need only visit their remarkable family home in Camberwell (WOI February 2012) to appreciate this, the fireplace lending each room a warmth and welcoming atmosphere
Lot 77, an overscale oak log or peat bucket, (£800–1,200)
Lot 82, a late Regency scroll end mahogany sofa, (£1,000–1,500)
Lot 75, a George III polished steel and cast iron basket grate, (£3,000–5,000)
Lot 56, a George II gilt and black Japanned chinoiserie decorated corner cabinet, in the manner of Giles Grendy, (£6,000–9,000)
Lot 57, a George II carved giltwood mirror, (£20,000–30,000)
Lot 62, a George IV mahogany and cane library armchair, in the manner of Gillows, (£2,500–4,000)
Lot 64, an overscale painted beech model of a Waterman fountain pen, (£1,500–2,500)
Lot 65, Vanitas, bust of a man, (£5,000–7,000)
The George I Irish fire surround being offered in Sotheby’s forthcoming online auction – The Pimlico Road – is a superb example from Jamb’s extensive stock of period chimneypieces. Carved from fossilized Kilkenny marble, the mantel is centred with a stylised scallop shell. This ancient symbol of fertility suggests it may have once occupied the hearth of the matrimonial suite in a noble Irish household.
Jamb are also offering a number of pieces of furniture that relate directly to the chimneypiece. This magnificent overmantel by the virtuoso gilder, carver and Kentian revivalist William Cribb is a wonderful example of his oeuvre. Cribb supplied William Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire with numerous pieces to complement the existing 18th century Kentian furniture at Devonshire House. Seen here in Jamb’s Pimlico Road gallery – teeming with lanterns, furniture and other objects – the mirror was designed to be positioned above a mantelpiece.
Other fireplace furniture includes a fine George III polished steel basket grate (illustrated above) and Regency style nursery fender made by Jamb which is an impeccable facsimile of a historic model. With the peat bucket brimming with logs (illustrated above), there is nothing left to do but light the fire, pull up a chair and relax.
