1860s Obelisks

A fine & large antique black marble & specimen stone desk obelisk & thermometer, Ashford Derbyshire, circa 1860. This large 15.5" tall obelisk is made of Derbyshire black marble. The...

A fine & large antique black marble & specimen stone desk obelisk & thermometer, Ashford Derbyshire, circa 1860. This large 14.75" 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 etc. The top of the obelisk is inlaid with colored stone in a floral design, below is a mercury thermometer with the name "J, Turner Buxton", the thermometer is fully functioning, the base is also inlaid with colored stone in a floral design, the obelisk is raised on a stepped base. Condition is very good, no damage or restoration, this very elegant obelisk is ready to grace your home or office. 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 large and high quality 19th century French Dore bronze Colonne de Juillet mounted as a lamp. The Colonne de Juillet is a monument in France in recognition of the Revolution of 1830. It stands in the middle of the Place de la Bastille, and recognizes the "three glorious" or Trois Glorieuses (July 27-29) which was the fall of Charles X the King of France and the commencement of King Louis-Philippe, "King of the French". It was built between the years 1835 and 1840. This piece is truly spectacular and embodies the true masterpiece of the original Colonne de Juillet. The columnar body rests on a round carrara marble socle, which holds-up the dore bronze column. The dore bronze column sits on a square marble base which steps up-to a carrara marble base with dore bronze medallions symbolizing the great country of France. The upper portion is ornamented with Barye lions...