A carved pine, painted and parcel-gilt chimneypiece composed of 18th century elements, the design of the terms attributed to William Kent and possibly carved by Benjamin Goodison or John Boson

the breakfront mantelpiece surmounting a moulded border, a dentil cornice with capitals above a pair of faux-marble decorated terms in the form of philsophers either side of a frieze with boldly carved and 'bronzed' ribbon tied laurel swag, the herms ending in waisted fishscale decorated supports, inscribed on the mantelpiece Top Front Lady H: Rm. and on a label this goes back to Chatsworth and on right side in chalk Dining Rm

Possibly associated with Chiswick

 

The Duchess of Devonshire, Chatsworth -The House, London, 2002, p. 137 illustrated in the Granary

The fire surround is in good overall condition but would benefit from being cleaned and having the decoration refreshed. The mantleshelf is slightly warped with separations between it and the moulding below. There is wear to the painted decoration and chips to the swag on the frieze with separations between this panel and the jambs. There are further age cracks, separations, chips and general wear throughout. The herms are in good condition and the carving is of exceptionally fine quality. They too have wear and chipping throughout. One of the herms has some old (now painted over) breaks and losses to his robes. This figure also has a verticle crack running through his arm. The other figure is lacking its cavetto moulded plinth.
"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."

This intriguing architectural fitment, currently conceived as a fire-surround or overmantle incorporates various carved elements from the first half of the eighteenth century and was most likely assembled in the 2nd quarter of the 20th century following the removal of the architectural fittings from Devonshire House and the release from the family ownership of Chiswick House. 

The largest elements, notably the term figures, evolved from terminal posts, dedicated to Roman deities, and relate to some garden terms designed around 1620 by the Palladian architect Inigo Jones (d. 1652) for Thomas Howard, 2nd Earl of Arundel. These, in turn, inspired Chiswick Villa's stone terms, designed in the 1720s by Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington and his architect, William Kent which are now at Chatsworth. Included in Kent's interior design of Chiswick were 'two Stands with Boy heads foliage & etc' that were supplied to Lady Burlington in 1735 at a cost of £5 each. These were of the more typical pedestal form but which share many of the attributes found on the current carvings such as the imbricated bodies surmounted with trailing bell-flowers.  Similar stands include those  originally supplied under Kent's direction to Frederick Prince of Wales as  '4 Rich Terms with Boys Heads & Ionick Capitals...very Rich' and 4 Rich Terms wth. Warrior Heads and Dorick Caps'. These appeared on Benjamin Goodison's account to the Royal Household but unfortunately are currently untraced although a further pair are in the Royal Collection at Hampton Court. The flat-backed design of the current terms may well suggest an architectural origin. The figural form seems rarely to have appeared Devonshire House and as such it seems probable, given the other items in this general manner, that these came from Lord Burlington's villa in Chiswick. Whist there is no record of such an object at Chiswick, a design by Kent published by John Vardy, Some Designs of Mr. Inigo Jones and Mr Wm. Kent, in 1744, p. 47 shows a large organ case with similarly inspired term-pilasters which demonstrates the use in a largely architectural fitment whilst similar large scale terms also appear on a design for 'A Seat in Kensington Gardens' by Kent and published by Vardy, op. cit., p.38.

The central laurel swag to the frieze appears to be an early decorative architectural element dating to the period of Samuel Watson's work at Chatsworth circa 1700, and relates in the manner of carving to fragments offered here as lots 33 and 34.  The moulding on the underside of the mantle relates to egg and dart dado mouldings from Devonshire House and at Chiswick and it is probably that this pieces was constructed in its current form in the 1920s when such elements were available.