Robin Miller Antiques Paperweights

Beautifully carved figural giltwood pocket watch stand.

Crystal Inkwell with stopper is a beautiful decorative object. The Inkwell is hexagonal and it is in good condition. Light oxidation at the base of the stopper.

This vintage silver thermometer is a precious decorative object realized in the 1910s. Silver frame with weather thermometer. Frame with floral decorations. On the back footres...

We are delighted to offer for sale this extremely collectable original Victorian Marble Grand Tour Roman Ruin statue of columns A wonderful original piece, this is a desk sized co...

Pair small alabaster grand tour sphinxes. Great to use as paper weights on your desk. Italy circa 1850-1900. Weathered,small losses and old repair Mo...

Vintage Hermes Paris magnifying glass desk accessory with domed lens ensconced in a silver frame with a belt design. We've left the oxidation and patina untouched and simply added a ...

Faceted Amethyst Glass Inkwell with Brass Lid Origin: France Material: glass, brass Date: circa 1900 Dimensions: H × D: approx. 6 × 12 c...

An exuberant alabaster bowl affixed to a rams head bronze stand with paw feet, standing on a circular base of wrapped sheafs of wheat, Italy, circa 1880.

This is a superb decorative antique Italian Grand Tour marble Pietra Dura mounted desk paperweight, circa 1880 in date. This splendid rectangular paperweight is exquisitely inlai...

A collection of three 'Grand Tour' English / Italian polychrome marble plaques or paperweights, one rectangular; two of cartouche form, the 'Derbyshire' or 'Belgian Black' marble slabs inset with native English stones 'Blue John' (Derbyshire Spar), 'Duke's Red', 'Bird's-Eye', and foreign Lapis Lazuli, Malachite, and Jasper in 'ovoid' and 'kidney' form inlays. Measurements : Rectangular plaque: 8" by 4.63" by .88" Cartouche plaque...

Egyptian Revival Bronze Scarab Paperweight with Hieroglyphic Inscription, Early 20th Century A finely cast Egyptian Revival scarab paperweight in p...

This is a superb decorative antique Italian Grand Tour marble Pietra Dura mounted desk paperweight, circa 1880 in date. This splendid rectangular paperweight is exquisitely inlaid with a sumptuous arrangement of semi-precious stones including malachite, agate, onyx and amethyst. It is beautifully inlaid on a slate base. Not only is this desk paperweight very functional, but it is also an exquisite mineralogical wonder that can be admired by all discerning collectors. Condition: In excellent condition, please see photos for confirmation, Dimensions in cm: Height 2 x Width 17 x Depth 10 Dimensions in inches: Height 1 inch x width 7 inches x depth 4 inches. Pietra dura is a term for the inlay technique of using cut and fitted, highly polished coloured stones to create images. It is considered a decorative art. Pietre dure is an Italian plural meaning "hard rocks" or hardstones; the singular pietra dura is also encountered in Italian. In Italian, but not in English, the term embraces all gem engraving and hardstone carving, which is the artistic carving of three-dimensional objects in semi-precious stone, normally from a single piece, for example in Chinese jade. The traditional convention in English has been to use the singular pietra dura just to denote multi-colored inlay work. However, in recent years there has been a trend to use pietre dure as a term for the same thing, but not for all of the techniques it covers, in Italian. But the title of a 2008 exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Art of the Royal Court: Treasures in Pietre Dure from the Palaces of Europe used the full Italian sense of the term, probably because they thought that it had greater brand recognition. The material on the website speaks of objects such as a vase in lapis lazuli as being examples of "hardstone carving (pietre dure)" The Victoria & Albert Museum in London uses both versions on its website, but uses pietra dura. "A method of inlaying coloured marbles or semi-precious stones into a stone base, often in geometric or flower patterns...." Giovanni Montelatici...