fig1 of the drawings shows modular fireplace 10 fully assembled . fireplace 10 has essential structural features typical of a permanent fireplace ( not shown ) which fireplace 10 is intended to simulate . the principal features include mantel 12 , firebox 14 , front face 16 , front grate 18 , and hearth 20 . novel fireplace 10 is intended to simulate a permanent fireplace both in function and aesthetically . to the latter end , fireplace 10 has general proportions of a permanent fireplace , essentially being greater in height than in width , and being less in depth than in width . also , fireplace 10 is ornamented in antique or victorian style , by having bas relief ornamentation formed on its external surfaces . ornamental features include bas relief columns 22 having grooves or flutes 24 , and denticles 28 . in order to be installed in a room or building not originally intended to accommodate a permanent masonry or stone fireplace , novel fireplace must satisfy several requirements . one is that it be modular , so that it can be readily transported and assembled without requiring permanent or intrusive connection to floor and walls of the room in which it is installed . a second requirement is that it be capable of accommodating combustion of a fuel in the open air , without requiring a flue or chimney for exhausting products of combustion . a third requirement is that fireplace 10 be either self - supporting , or readily attachable to an environmental surface . fig2 illustrates the essential modular nature of fireplace 10 . rather than being of massive , thick construction typical of a stone or masonry permanent fireplace , fireplace 10 comprises modules preferably formed from cast metal . these modules have thin walls and are connected together to suggest mass and solidity arising from traditional construction . visible in fig2 are mantel 12 , the rear of a front face member 26 , two lateral side members 28 , and hearth 20 . firebox 14 is of unitary construction , and comprises a main firebox member 30 having a rear wall 32 and two lateral walls 34 , and including a lower firebox portion 36 having a rear wall 38 and two lateral walls 40 . firebox 14 also includes cover 42 . turning now to fig3 the principal visible , external components , or facade 44 , of fireplace 10 are shown spaced apart from one another . thinness of mantel 12 , front face member 26 , and lateral side members 28 is apparent in fig3 although face member 26 may include short rearwardly projecting flanges 46 . modular nature of the invention is revealed in fig3 . mantel 12 , front face member 26 , and lateral side members 28 attach to one another by threaded fasteners at several points of attachment between each two adjacent modular components . attachment is preferably by bolts or screws at each point of attachment . each component has either a protruding tab 48 having a bore 50 extending therethrough or a tapped hole 52 at each point of attachment . when individual modules or components are assembled together as shown in fig2 they are attached by inserting a bolt 54 through bore 50 of a respective tab 48 at each point of attachment . fig4 shows more of the nature of firebox 14 . main member 30 abuts lower member 36 . similarly , cover 42 abuts but is not joined to main member 30 . main member 30 may be formed to partially interfit cover 42 or lower member 36 or both if desired by forming grooves ( not shown ) in one of these members . the abutting wall of the other member would be received in these grooves . abutment without fastening or joining enables firebox members , and particularly cover 42 , to be readily removed from firebox 14 . thus , it will be seen that firebox 14 is itself modular , apart from facade 44 . firebox 14 also has closed construction at its upper surface 60 ( see fig4 ) due to provision of cover 42 . firebox 14 is open to the front surface of fireplace 14 . these construction features assure that light and heat generated by combustion will project outwardly from fireplace 10 into the room served thereby . temperatures at a wall or other environmental surfaces are limited by causing products of combustion to vent to the front of fireplace 10 . at some points of attachment of any one modular component to another , a tab 48 from one modular component aligns with a tab 48 of another modular component . bolts 54 may pass through aligned bores 50 of these aligned tabs 48 . when this method of attachment is employed , a nut 56 is fastened to bolt 54 . this type of attachment is utilized to attach face member 26 to each lateral side member 28 . alternatively , a bolt 54 may be passed through a tab 48 and tightened into a tapped or threaded hole 52 . this latter type of attachment is utilized to attach firebox 14 to face member 26 . similar attachment may be utilized to secure mantel 12 to facade 44 . as shown in fig3 tabs 48 located at the upper ends of lateral side members 28 may receive bolts 54 which thread into holes 52 formed in mantel 12 . attachment of hearth 20 to facade 44 also utilizes the latter form of attachment wherein bolt 54 tightens into a threaded hole 52 . attachment set forth above satisfies the requirements that components both be readily joined and also readily removed . only hand tools are required for assembly and disassembly . as seen in fig1 and 2 , hearth 20 is disposed beneath facade 44 , and extends horizontally beyond facade 44 in all directions . optionally , extension to the rear of facade 44 is limited so that all rear edges 62 , 64 , 66 of mantel 12 , lateral side members 28 , and hearth 20 are coplanar , as shown in fig2 . this construction enables fireplace 20 to be located flush against a vertical environmental surface . fireplace 10 may be attached in this manner due to provision of tabs 48 on lateral side members 28 . as seen in fig3 each lateral side member 28 has two tabs 48 at its upper end , and two tabs 48 at its lower end . each respective pair of tabs 48 is horizontally aligned with its corresponding tab 48 of the pair . this construction leads to the following abilities . firstly , fireplace 10 may be mounted to a vertical environmental surface ( not shown ), such as a building wall when located flush thereagainst . one upper tab 48 of each lateral side member 28 is utilized to unify facade 44 , and the other upper tab 48 is utilized to receive a fastener ( not shown ) engaging the environmental surface . similarly , one lower tab 48 of each lateral side member 28 is utilized to unify facade 44 , and the other is utilized to receive a second fastener ( not shown ) engaging the environmental surface . thus , fireplace 10 is removably attachable to a vertical environmental surface . the second advantage is that each one of the two lateral side members 28 may be utilized at both the right and left side of fireplace 10 . this enables a single mold to form two modular members , thereby eliminating complication from the fabrication process . there is also a slight advantage to assembly , as the person assembling fireplace 10 need not differentiate between a right lateral side member and a left lateral side member . combustion apparatus may include any suitable burner ( not shown ) which burns alcohol either in liquid or gelled form . these fuels are commercially available , and afford the advantage of burning so cleanly that no exhausting of products of combustion is required . turning now to fig5 an alternative embodiment of the invention is shown wherein firebox 14 is fully closed at the rear thereof by wall 60 . firebox 14 is dimensioned and configured to cooperate with and receive a fuel canister holder 62 for holding gel fuel canisters 64 . holder 62 has a cap 66 which interfits so as to be horizontally slid into place covering holder 62 . this will extinguish or snuff combustion of fuel in all canisters 64 . the novel fireplace is dimensioned and configured such that front grate 18 will not interfere with insertion of cap 66 into place from the front of the fireplace . fig5 also shows tabs 68 each having a hole 70 , to enable a horizontal grate 72 to be installed within firebox 58 above fuel canister holder 62 . grate 72 is dimensioned and configured to cooperate and interfit with firebox 58 , and has holes 74 for accepting suitable fasteners ( not shown ) to engage both tabs 68 and holes 74 , for securing grate 72 in place within firebox 58 . artificial logs , branches , and twigs ( none shown ) may then be placed above holder 62 and fuel canisters 64 , for concealing holder 62 and canisters 64 . thus , a modular fireplace readily installable within a room not originally built to accommodate a fireplace is provided . the novel fireplace enables actual combustion open or exposed to persons occupying the room improved by the novel fireplace . weight of the fireplace is not objectionable to most structures which are improved thereby . the novel fireplace is readily assembled , and is portable since it is readily disassembled into essentially flat modular components . it should further be noted that the novel fireplace can be converted to traditional usage by eliminating the firebox and incorporating suitable ventilation structure ( not shown ). alternatively , the novel fireplace may assume decorative function only by removing or eliminating utilitarian features such as the firebox and grates . the novel fireplace is susceptible to many variations and modifications which may be introduced by those of skill in the art . the number and arrangement of tabs and holes for assembly may be varied as desired . accessories for the firebox , such as a burner and a bottom grate , may be provided . ornamentation may be varied from the details set forth above . it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above , but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims .