Griotte Marble Obelisks

A fine & large antique black marble and specimen stone desk obelisk, Ashford Derbyshire, circa 1860. This large 14.5" obelisk is made of Derbyshire black marble. The obelisk is very elegantly inlaid with a variety of semi-precious polished hard-stone, including Derbyshire Blue John, Lapis Lazuli, Malachite, Carrara Marble, Polished Agate, and many others. Each obelisk stands on a stepped base and is inlaid with a floral motif, condition is excellent, no damage or restoration noted. Ashford Black Marble is the name given to a dark limestone, quarried from mines near Ashford-in-the-Water, in Derbyshire, England. Once cut, turned and polished, its shiny black surface is highly decorative. Ashford Black Marble is a very fine-grained sedimentary rock and is not a true marble in the geological sense. It can be cut and inlaid with other decorative stones and minerals, using a technique known as Pietra Dura. The mineral has been used decoratively since prehistoric times; the first recorded customer was the Elizabethan Countess, Bess of Hardwick...

A superbly decorative pair of 'Goût Égyptienne' obelisks in black and Rouge Griotte marbles, with exquisite relief decorations picked out in silver and gold. France, mid- to late 19th century. Exceptional quality, original decoration. Why we like them Beautiful objects like these have always been a favourite souvenir from the Grand Tour. Thanks to their ancient, timeless form, architectural but at the same time highly sculptural, these objects are perfectly suited for classical and modern interiors. Originally called tekhenu by the Ancient Egyptians, obelisks played a vital role in the religion as well as in the architecture of the ancient Egypt, often found in pairs at the entrance of the temples. The word "obelisk" as used in English today is of Greek rather than Egyptian origin because Herodotus, the Greek traveller, was one of the first classical writers to use the term 'obeliskos' to describe them. In Egyptian mythology, the obelisk symbolized the sun god Ra, and was said to have been a petrified ray of the Aten, the sundisk. The pyramid and obelisk's significance have been previously overlooked, especially the astronomical phenomena connected with sunrise and sunset: Zodiacal light...

Each vase with scrolled handles resting on "griotte rouge" marble bases.