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Lot 370 The Beauty of Stone
The distinctive purple, blue and yellow bands of 'Blue John' mined in Derbyshire in the 18th century, made it sought after not only in this country but abroad. Often worked with ormolu in the Louis XVI period 'Blue John' pieces were much sought after and admired for the effect they create when light travels through the layers of fluorite. Marble was used as a highly decorative device; table tops and cabinets were often veneered in specimen pieces or adorned with tablets to great effect, as in the intricately inlaid table top of lot inlaid with approximately twenty different Italian marble specimens. These marble tiles were selected for their striking designs. The overall result created not only an object of beauty, but a talking point as visitors tried to work out which marble specimen was which.
The distinctive purple, blue and yellow bands of 'Blue John' mined in Derbyshire in the 18th century, made it sought after not only in this country but abroad. Often worked with ormolu in the Louis XVI period 'Blue John' pieces were much sought after and admired for the effect they create when light travels through the layers of fluorite. Marble was used as a highly decorative device; table tops and cabinets were often veneered in specimen pieces or adorned with tablets to great effect, as in the intricately inlaid table top of lot inlaid with approximately twenty different Italian marble specimens. These marble tiles were selected for their striking designs. The overall result created not only an object of beauty, but a talking point as visitors tried to work out which marble specimen was which.
A REGENCY MAHOGANY AND PARCEL GILT SPECIMEN MARBLE TABLE
EARLY 19TH CENTURY
Closed5 July 2011
Price Realised
GBP 8,750