CHESNEYS
london • new york • shanghai
THE SPECIAL MATERIALS COLLECTION
T H E S P E C I A L M AT E R I A L S C O L L E C T I O N
During the nineteenth century it became fashionable for Ladies to use marble eggs to
cool the palms of their hands in warm weather and at social events such as Balls, so that
they could ofer a dance partner a cool dry hand.
Contents The Makers 3 The Materials 9 A Guide to our Materials 14
C H E S N E YS
THE
SPECIAL MATERIALS
COLLECTION
When we first started Chesneys nearly forty years ago we focused exclusively on the
restoration and sale of antique fireplaces.
The foundation of our fledgling business and one of its great joys was learning about the
diferent styles and periods of fireplaces that we were discovering. It was a steep learning
curve as relatively little reference work about this niche aspect of domestic architecture
was available; much of the knowledge we acquired was self-taught as we developed an
understanding of the language of interior architectural design.
The same excitement applied to the materials that we were encountering for the first time
and learning how best to work with them during the restoration process. Once again
largely self-taught, this hands-on introduction to marbles and stones is the foundation of
what we now call our ‘Special Materials Collection’.
For many years the most popular material choice in domestic fireplace design has been the
muted palette that Limestone ofers, but more recently there has been a sea change as the use
of vibrant, beautiful marbles in the design of fireplaces has grown in popularity, and we have
found ourselves seeking out rare and unusual materials for our fireplaces.
Many of the materials that we met for the first time when restoring antique chimneypieces
all those years ago we now use once again in a collection of our own contemporary designs,
as well as in our long established range of historical facsimiles.
Re-introducing some of these beautiful historical materials coupled with new, unusual, and
luxurious marbles sourced from far and wide has been the inspiration for our in-house design
team to develop an innovative collection of designs that brings a fresh perspective to the field
of contemporary fireplace design, and which we call our ‘Special Materials Collection’.
Paul Chesney
Founder
Chesneys
C H E S N E YS
THE
MAKERS
As the architectural reclamation movement took hold in the late 1980s it was
clear that demand for antique fireplaces would outstrip supply and Chesneys
recognised the need to create a range of quality reproductions carved in
stone and marble.
The search for a partner in this enterprise led to a small family-owned marble
workshop on the outskirts of a village north of Lisbon. Over thirty years later
Chesneys still work with the original Portuguese workshop. It has expanded
over the years but is still family owned and run, with three generations actively
involved, and many of the same masons still employed.
These are the craftsmen who have the specialist skill and experience required
to produce our Special Materials Collection.
T H E M A K E R S
C H E S N E YS
The journey from quarry to fireside has several key stages.
First the block marble must be selected. This task falls to
Lucio Cruz, who founded the business. He looks at the
directional veining, structure, and shape of a block before he
makes his selection. Blocks can be monumental in size,
weighing more than 20 tonnes and it is impossible to
anticipate exactly the properties of the material inside the
block. Hidden venting and flaws can adversely afect the yield
from the block, but Lucio has an intuitive understanding born
of 50 years experience, and he seldom makes a bad choice.
Next, the block must be cut to produce the material required
for the fireplaces to be manufactured. This is not a random
process. The sawyer must decide whether the block is to be
vein-cut against the natural grain of the material, highlighting
the banding and linear lines in the marble, or whether to
cross-cut along the grain, revealing flowery, circular and
cloud-like patterns. The material he is cutting will dictate the
approach he takes.
Masonry, carving and polishing skills are required to transform
the cut raw material into the finished article, revealing the
vibrant colour, fossils and striations that lie within. There is no
short cut to polishing a piece of marble and there isn’t a
carving machine that can match the delicate finish and detail
that the chisel of an experienced carver can achieve. It is a
truly transformative process founded on centuries old artisanal
skills and Chesneys are proud to work with our Portuguese
partners in this enterprise.
Lucio Cruz, founder of Lucidal (centre), Jorge Cruz (left) grandson and Production Manager,
Idilia Cruz, daughter and Ofce Manager
T H E M A K E R S
Expert masonry, carving and polishing skills are required to transform the
cut raw material into the finished article, revealing the vibrant colour, fossils
and striations that lie within.