My home was built in 1895. I'm an avid enthusiast of early "technology". There are huge differences geographically on how fireplaces were finished. This is true because of local availability and style that fluctuated across the country to city and of course overseas.

If we are talking the US, more often then not in the late 1800's and 1900's there would be a fireplace in the kitchen with a smaller fireplace used for an oven next to it and this would be in brick. There were cast iron insets in the main rooms and bed rooms. Mantels would range from carved limestone affairs in the parlor to a more utilitarian one in the dining room.

The bedrooms often had wood mantels. These served to warm wash basins and bed warmers. Coal furnaces were coming into play at this point and were integrated to the hot water system and fireplaces retrofitted. I still have the remnants of the coal shoot in my cellar.

Anyway not knowing where you are geographically it's hard to tell you what may have been used. I have included some common early 1900 fireplaces designs.

Hi Lucidos. I just purchased a fire place insert exactly like the second photo you posted Black Cast Iron. Can you tell me a bit about it and what it may be worth?

How your fireplace "finished" is a matter of style differential in the era. By the early 1900's gas piping had replaced wood or coal fired cooking systems. There may be a flue in the kitchen as well and the number of fireplaces suggests that natural gas had not yet come to your area. The brick veneer suggests a slightly different stylistic approach from the Victorian cast iron shroud on Encaustic tile. Perhaps transitional Arts and Crafts? Pictures of at least two of your fireplaces could help pinpoint the style and lead to better informed responses.

Ona we would need a picture to do that. Typically the original (circa 1890 to 1930) fireplace inserts are sold in the $ 500.00 to $ 1000.00 range in that era. Without seeing the one you have it's impossible to answer. The one I have pictured in the second image is actually a new replica from a UK company.

Lucidos, have a few minutes? [https://www.houzz.com/discussions/ceilings-dsvw-vd~3379205[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/ceilings-dsvw-vd~3379205)