Regency Carrara Marble Chimneypiece Tablet

Allegory of Abundance

Italy or England, c.1815–1830

A finely carved Carrara marble chimneypiece tablet depicting a classical allegory of Abundance / the Vintage. The draped maiden is shown seated on a low plinth, a cornucopia of fruit and flowers cradled in her left arm while her right hand extends a garland of grapes towards an altar. The background is filled with scrolling vines and clustered grapes, all framed by a bead-and-tongue border in low relief – a very Regency interpretation of antique ornament, intended for the frieze of a neoclassical fireplace.

The figure’s calm, idealised pose and modest drapery align her with early 19th-century personifications of Autumn or Plenty rather than a specific mythological character, making the tablet an elegant, versatile panel that sits beautifully with Grand Tour marbles, casts and architectural fragments.

Condition

Good, decorative condition with a gently worn surface consistent with age and use. Minor scattered scratches and small edge nicks. There are a few warm orange tones in the marble, particularly around the cornucopia and the folds of the drapery; these are natural iron inclusions within the Carrara that have mellowed in colour over time, a common feature of older marble.

A characterful Regency fragment of a dismantled chimneypiece, now ready to be displayed as a sculptural relief on a console, shelf or plinth, or re-imagined within a bespoke mantel design.