How to remove this fireplace without damaging?

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We have an Edwardian fireplace in our house that we need to remove as we’re knocking through two rooms. It’s lovely and we’d like to move it to another room in the house so I’d like to remove it without damaging. But having dug around in the walls I can’t find out how it’s attached - there don’t appear to be any fixings at the sides like our other cast iron fireplaces. I think this one is slate, though it’s been painted to look like wood. The corbels are loose and wobble around when touched, and I wonder if the round half spheres on them would come off to find screws behind? But I can’t work out how to take these off without damage either- my first attempt has resulted in a small chip. So any suggestions please? Excuse the mess, we’ve just moved in and it’s a bit of a dumping ground.
 

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if the wall is coming down anyway, I would carefully remove 50mm of plaster all around it.
If there are any plates that screw to the brickwork they should become visible.

It's possible that it was just glued or pinned to the wall using plaster/mortar?
I'd examine the mantlepiece first as it must have been the last bit installed?

Failing that a local stonemason or fireplace shop might have someone who could help/advise?

Assuming that you do have loads of time before the chimney and wall come down you could support the surround with timber against the floor and extract the brickwork around the surround in more of an archeological way than a builder with a lump hammer.
A load of dust sheets and chipping away won't fill the house with dust and one side will be much as the other so it's not as painstaking as it could be
 
Clear away all your chattels & furniture, everything, and take a fresh pic.
Until you post a larger, less cluttered pic its difficult to say if surround retaining lugs are present?
When clear chip away the plaster just above the mantle maybe mantle fixings will show.
 
Clear away all your chattels & furniture, everything, and take a fresh pic.
Until you post a larger, less cluttered pic its difficult to say if surround retaining lugs are present?
When clear chip away the plaster just above the mantle maybe mantle fixings will show.
There’s nothing to see- don’t really need the internet to tell me to look for visible fixings Was just hoping someone might know some info about specifically slate fire surrounds that would give some insight into how they are installed. As I already said, even digging around in the plaster hasn’t yielded anything visible.
 
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There's nothing for you to see - perhaps experienced eyes have seen much more when dealing with past surround installations & removals?
I said nothing about "visible fixings" but with an uncluttered view one might be able to see where fixings are concealed?
"digging around " where "in the plaster"? I'm afraid neither the pic nor the clutter help me to see even where you've been "digging around".
 
I’ve removed several fireplaces over the years so I’m fully aware where fixings usually are- top and bottom of either side. There is nothing there. We’ve removed a substantial amount of plaster. There is no indication of anything in the plaster.
 
Have you gone back to bare brick?
it’s possible that the chimney breast was built with wood blocks in place, or the fitter removed some brick after the brickwork was done and stuck his own plugs in.
 
Slate surrounda are usually in a few pieces. People often stick them to the brickwork with bonding plaster, or to the plaster with tile adhesive.
 
But having dug around in the walls I can’t find out how it’s attached - there don’t appear to be any fixings at the sides like our other cast iron fireplaces.

A small metal detector will make it easy to find an metal brackets around the edge.
 
- perhaps experienced eyes have seen much more when dealing with past surround installations & removals?
Mine eyes have seen the bull**** and the ramblings of the tell.......and his " truth " is marching on :ROFLMAO: Glory glory what a loser
 
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