Overmantel
OVERMANTEL, the name given to decorative cabinet work, or joinery, applied to the upper part of a fireplace. The overmantel is derived from the carved panelling formerly applied to chimney-pieces of importance, but the word is now generally restricted to a movable fitment, often consisting of a series of shelves and niches for the reception of ornaments.
Note - this article incorporates content from Encyclopaedia Britannica, Eleventh Edition, (1910-1911)
