Can you tell me what you think this is?

[Manny]

We're there! Finally, after months of stress Mrs Manny and I moved into our four story Georgian townhouse at the weekend There's plenty of questions I have for all you great people but before I get started properly I wonder if you can tell me what this thing might be:



From what I've been able to ascertain from my own research it's likely that it's an overmantle and not just part of some bit of old furniture as I first thought.

The bottom half with the white vents in and little shelves at either side doesn't seem to have anything to do with the top half with the mirror. The bottom half seems to have been constructed to cover an old fireplace, which used to house a back boiler. I've looked but there is no fire surround.

From my limited knowledge I don't think it looks Georgian. To me it looks like a Victorian thing that someone's got hold of and stuck there because it looks nice, but what do I know :wink:

Any ideas?

 

[Moo]

It's rather splendid, isn't it?
I'm not an expert in such things, but I'd be inclined to agree with you about dates. However, it's certainly the oldest thing in the picture.

 

[Nemesis]

It's either an overmantle (most likely) or the top from a sideboard.

Probably late 19th/early 20th century.

 

[biffvernon]

We used to have a thing like that, (but got rid of it!). Maybe the lower shelves are part of the original and just the central lower part was added when the fireplace was no longer used? We thought ours was about 1900ish.

 

[monkey writer]

great floor! What is it? Ceramic tiles or Lino?

 

[Moo]

If, like Biff, you feel inclined to get rid of it, it might be an idea to post a message to that effect. I'm sure there are lots of people here who live in a house of the appropriate period and would love to have it.

 

[biffvernon]

When I said 'got rid of' it was in exchange for a suitable wodge of folding money, not just dumped in a skip

 

[Manny]

Thanks a lot for the feedback, it doesn't look like I was too far out in my estimaiton of date :shock:

monkey - it's lino, I love it too but it's not great quality. I'll probably have it done in ceramic tiles once the kitchen has been replaced.

Moo - as ever the final decision is probably going to lie with Mrs M, but I should think we'll probably remove it as it's not an original feature. Rest assured I'll make sure it finds a decent home :wink:

Any thoughts on what it might be worth?

 

[biffvernon]

We got £300 a few years ago, but it's a fickle trade and there's a lot of demand for minimilism these days.

 

[monkey writer]

and the spread of ebay has greatly devalued things - as anyone anywhere has access to all the items available instead of only those in their immediate area.

 

[Nemesis]

If the building is listed - I'd suggest this is a fixture...

 

[Pford75]

and the spread of ebay has greatly devalued things - as anyone anywhere has access to all the items available instead of only those in their immediate area

I'd have to disagree - eBay now vastly increases the number of people who can see/buy a particular item and in theory makes the marketplace global.

We inherited several boxes of original bakelite switches in an outbuilding which had never been used - our eventual buyer was in Japan! We acheived apx. £14 per switch...which is far in excess of what we could have acheived by selling to a bunch of farmers in Norfolk pre-ebay

The overmantel is very similar to those in a couple of our bedrooms, except ours are connected to the surround as a single piece of ornament, with pilasters running down the sides of the fireplaces.

Have you checked under the paint? It may have original gilding (ours did) and we are currently having it regilded.

 

[Pford75]

If the building is listed - I'd suggest this is a fixture...

Nemesis - we had a similar view when we moved into our current house to find that some 'overmantels' had been removed by the departing owners.

After much discussion with the solicitors and conservation people, the view was that fire surrounds are clearly fixtures and therefore single piece surrounds and overmantels are fixtures...however items such as those pictured are simply decorative furniture (ie. a mirror) in the same way that an antique part of furniture does not form part of the fixtures.

It comes down to the permanence of the fixings - ie. can it be removed simply and without damage to the surround structure?

 

[Penners]

If you click on the thumbnail to open a full size picture, you'll find that your elegant overmantel is surmounted by an invitation to "Press The Fart Button - You Know You Want To".

I take it this is not part of your listed building?

 

[Moo]

All I got was an ad. for the NSPCC.

But when I closed that window it revealed a smaller one advertising what I can only suppose was a mildly pornographic site.

 

[Penners]

I should add that - of course - I did not press the fart button.

Moo - I think the banner ads above pictures change about every 20 seconds. A positive kaleidoscope of bad taste!

 

[Nemesis]

Sounds as though Moo got the ads which would appeal to you...

(Did I press the fart button? weeeelll...)

 

[Manny]

Haha, ok, well as a Fierfox user with adblock I don't see any of that sort of thing. Apologies for any offence caused from using that hosting site :lol: :wink:

Thanks for all the replies. The thing looks like it will readily come off the wall. I'm not certain what to do with it at the moment. The kitchen referb is a way off yet so I'll leave it alone for now

 

[Penners]

as a Fierfox user with adblock I don't see any of that sort of thing.

Read this and weep, smug Firefox user!

http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/index.cfm?newsid=7229

 

[Manny]

Old news: Clicky :wink: