Antique Wedgwood Etruria Fireplace Tile - Framed London House Memento, Diplomat's Estate

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…Blue & White Portrait of Florentine Artist | Rare Architectural Fragment from Historic London Residence | Easthampton Diplomatic Estate

A … Read more …Blue & White Portrait of Florentine Artist | Rare Architectural Fragment from Historic London Residence | Easthampton Diplomatic Estate

A charming piece of architectural history: a single 2.5" square Wedgwood Etruria fireplace surround tile featuring a blue and white portrait of a Florentine artist in period costume, thoughtfully framed as a cherished memento from a family's London house renovation.
Wedgwood Etruria: A Legacy of Excellence
The Etruria pottery works, established by Josiah Wedgwood in 1769 in Staffordshire, became synonymous with the finest British ceramics. For over 180 years, Etruria produced everything from jasperware to architectural tiles, gracing the grandest homes across the British Empire. Their fireplace tiles were particularly prized—miniature works of art that transformed functional hearths into aesthetic statements.
The Art of Keeping Memories
There's a beautiful tradition of preserving fragments from beloved homes undergoing change. When walls come down and fireplaces are reconfigured, families often rescue a single tile, a piece of molding, or a decorative element—not for its monetary value, but as a tangible connection to chapters of family life. This framed tile embodies that sentiment perfectly. Someone loved this house enough to save a piece of it, to frame it with care in a bespoke gilt wood frame made specifically for this treasure, and to carry it across an ocean.
A Beautifully Considered Presentation
The tile is set in a custom gilt wood frame that perfectly complements its vintage character. We particularly love that the back was left uncovered—a thoughtful choice that allows you to appreciate the tile's age, construction, and authenticity. This transparency adds to the piece's charm, revealing its honest history as a working element from a fireplace surround.
The blue and white portrait depicts a Florentine artist in Renaissance costume—a romantic nod to Italy's artistic heritage that would have appealed to cultured Victorian sensibilities. It's easy to imagine generations gathering around the fireplace where this tile once lived, the artist's serene face witnessing countless family moments.
The Story:
From the same distinguished diplomatic family who spent many years in France, this framed tile traveled from their ancestral London home to Easthampton, New York—a small but meaningful piece carried across the Atlantic as a reminder of roots, heritage, and the home that shaped them.
Provenance: Discovered at an estate sale in Easthampton, New York, from a distinguished diplomatic family. Originally from their family's London residence.
Condition: [Add your condition notes about both the tile and frame]
Measurements: 3" square tile aprox.
Maker: Wedgwood Etruria
Origin: English
A unique collector's piece that combines Wedgwood's renowned quality with genuine family history—perfect for lovers of architectural salvage, Wedgwood collectors, or anyone who appreciates the poetry of preserved memories and the stories objects carry with them. See less