Stamford / Westport Paperweights

A rare silvered metal desk or tabletop planter inlaid with 12 framed Pietra Dura panels of inlaid colorful flowers on a black base, complete with its ...

An exceptional, fine and impressive, antique Edwardian English glass and sterling silver match striker; an addition to our ornamental collection. This exceptional antique Edwardian sterling silver and glass match striker has a globular form. The surface of the glass body is embellished with a serrated texture which composes a match striker. The upper portion of this example of antique silverware retains the original, plain hallmarked sterling silver mount which continues to line the match receiver; this solid silver lining indicates the high quality of the piece. By virtue of its size and weight, this versatile match striker could be utilised as a paperweight. Condition This antique 20th century match striker glass match holder...

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 ...

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...

The white ground inlaid with specimen marbles and porphyry with ridges on 2 sides

A fantastic mid-century Italian marble paperweight with yellow glass eyes. Carved beautifully. Measures 3” x 3”. Circa 1960’s

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...

This is a wonderful Derbyshire Ashford pietra dura obelisk, inlaid with lillies, circa 1880 in date. The obelisk is beautifully inlaid with a Pietra Dura of white flowers and malach...

A fine signed Greek silver paperweight. By Lalounis. In sterling silver. In the form of a scallop or cockle sea shell. Marked to the base. Simply a wonderful Lalaounis shell...

This antique paperweight is unsigned, but presumed to have been acquired during a Grand Tour through Italy, and dating to approximately 1880 and do...

Charming vintage Mid-Century Modern leather desktop book paperweight with a butterfly from Maitland Smith. Both form and function best describe this piece. We see this decorative obj...

Fabulous Pietra Dura box created in a cool geometric composition possibly by Richard Blow. Masterfully done and while unmarked it is signed Made in Ita...