extravagant and intact c. 1880's american high victorian hand-crafted varnished cherry wood interior fireplace mantel custom built for the extant david c. cook mansion, located in elgin, il. the exceptionally well-designed and finely executed mantel piece is attributed to chas l. page of chicago, il. the spacious firebox opening is flanked by unornamented raised panels. the frieze contains a series of elegantly crafted carved floral rosettes set within recessed panels. the undershelf is partially supported by multiple curvaceous corbels flanked by deeply grooved or fluted trimwork. the towering overmantel features a centrally located opening for use with a beveled mirror. the richly ornate opposed cabinets are outfitted with hinged doors featuring segmented beveled mirrors and twisted rope motif pilasters. small compartments resting atop the cabinets contain finely tuned spindles and raised panels with trimwork. panels adorned with intricately designed flowers with foliated scrollwork are positioned directly above the cabinet doors. the projecting cove molding contains finely turned acorn-shaped finials along with pressed ornamental wood paneling. the original varnished finish remains amazingly intact. the hardwood mantle was originally located in the cook mansion main parlor room. david c. cook, founder of a prominent religious publishing operation, built the high victorian queen anne chateauesque style mansion on the corner of gifford and division streets in 1885. in 1945 the grand residence was converted (i.e., modernized and expanded) into the mary margaret nursing home and later renamed the bowes retirement center. fortunately, interior elegant furnishings located on both the first and second floors were left intact from the time of mr. cook's occupancy. the fate of the house remains uncertain. measures approximately 132 x 70 x 12 inches. firebox opening measures 42 x 33 1/2 inches.