Is this fireplace original?
Hi there,
We’ve just moved into a Victorian terrace house, we believe it was built roughly 1890s. It’s a project. Anyway, I was wondering if this fireplace would have been the original one and if so how best to go about restoring the tiles (we’re not bothered about making it fire-worthy).
It’s got a gas line into it so it’s either been converted somewhere down the line or completely replaced.
I’m not particularly keen of these tiles or even the wood surround so I’m quite hoping people will say it’s not original!
The fire place is in the front room but I’ll include a pic of the fireplace in the middle room for comparison. (Also interested in that one too)
Please excuse the mess. Were still finding our feet.
Comments (8)
2 years agoRelated Discussions
Could our fireplace be original?
Comments (3)It's not easy to say for sure from the photo. It certainly COULD be an original, since the style is consistent with what might be found in an Edwardian home. Is the profile of the trim at the bottom of the mantel an exact match to the baseboard trim on the wall? That could be a clue (but not definitive). Cosmetically, the wood of the mantel looks to be in excellent shape - is that consistent with rest of the house? I know that may be difficult to discern if the rest of the wood in the home is painted, but after 100 years or more you'd expect to see a few scratches and dings, sparing an expert refinishing. Also, the style is fairly straightforward and not overly-embellished; if the rest of the woodwork in the house seems to be consistent with this - then it very well could be an original. All in all, it's a nice, solid little mantel with nice proportions. Even if you do decide to replace it, have it carefully removed, either for reclamation - or to adapt it for use in another room. The scale might be perfect for a dining room or bedroom that could use a special focus....See MoreFireplace original tiles or not?
Comments (5)Hi! It's hard to tell if the tiles are original. They might be original but they look potentially more early to mid 20th century to me. They are pretty though and in good condition. If you don't mind them then I'd tend to keep them. Even later alterations tell a story about the history of a house, so even if it's not original from first built there can be value in later additions, if you like them....See MoreIs this fireplace original?
Comments (8)Looks very original to me. These are getting rarer and rarer and there is even a market for reclaimed and restored ones. They were mass produced back in the day but then so were Victorian houses and today period properties with period features are highly sought after whereas 40 years ago they were being ripped out and thrown away. Although these were functional elements just like Victorian ones, they were also the main design feature of the room and therefore intended to be decorative, but maybe in a style that is not well understood even today. Whether or not you keep it in your house depends on whether you like to look at it or not, whether it makes you feel good that you have an original feature of the house, a small piece of history. I don't think I've ever come across a piece of furniture that couldn't be made to look good with the right style and context. It could look great if you go for a contemporary take on an art deco style....See Morewhat kind of fireplace goes here?
Comments (5)You can verify whether there was a fire by lifting the carpet. If it’s Victorian you may well find a tiled hearth. My house is Edwardian and some ... person ... decided to strip out/board up three out of four, and the one existing is a brick monstrosity. However, in the two bedrooms with fireplaces the hearth (and exact location of the fire) can be seen when lifting the carpet. At least it’s an easy way to check and will give you a starting point....See More
2 years agoI love a fireplace, but it is hard to guess if yours are original or not. I would guess they are, although the tiling doesn’t look right to me, that is many Victorian fireplace tiles have floral themes. There are so many reproductions about that it is so hard to say. I would suggest you look at websites selling original fireplaces to see how they compare to yours maybe? If you hate them then your home doesn’t need to be a museum so why not just sell them, there is quite a market for Victorian fireplaces. I have a 1930s house with horrible tiled fireplaces which we removed, then I installed a traditional style, but brand new, fireplace to create some character. Picture below. Personally I like all your fireplaces. , particularly the first and last ones (white) they add so much character to a room both modern and traditional, but it’s your home and your decision.
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Katie EdwardsOriginal Author