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ID #SA1238171
FOR SALE
£950
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Grand Tour Alabaster Model of the Baptistery of St. John
For sale by Cella
for sale €1,112     $1,207
£950
Cella

Cella

Sellingantiques Verified Since May 2019
Browse dealers 75 items
  • About Us
    Specialists in the grand tour and french decorative objects, clocks and furniture, circa 1780-1880.
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Id #SA1238171
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Grand Tour Alabaster Model of the Baptistery of St. John

19th century
For Sale by Cella
Description

A small, well carved 19th century Grand Tour alabaster model of the Baptistery of St. John in Pisa. Beautifully decorative example finely carved white alabaster. Rare and increasingly difficult to find. Italy, circa 1880.

Physical Dimensions
Height
14.5cm (5.71")
Width
11cm (4.33")
Declaration

Cella has dated this Grand Tour Alabaster Model to the 1880s.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1238171
Dealers Internal Reference
CA1159
Dealers Notes

Based in London, we are dealers in fine decorative antiques from the 18th and 19th centuries. We specialise in this era of enlightenment, neoclassicism and the Grand Tour, with its far reaching influence on style and taste in Britain, Continental Europe and beyond: elegance in the age of Napoleon. Our extensive stock covers all aspects of this period and decorative antiques influenced by the period. We constantly source new, beautiful items and upload to our site regularly. We are first and foremost antique collectors with over thirty years of experience; we only buy what we love and we hope you will too. Additional images can be supplied on request. More items are available on our website http://www.cellantiques.co.uk. We ship worldwide.

Description
A small, well carved 19th century Grand Tour alabaster model of the Baptistery of St. John in Pisa. Beautifully decorative example finely carved white alabaster. Rare and increasingly difficult to find. Italy, circa 1880.
Height
14.5cm (5.71")
Width
11cm (4.33")
Date of Manufacture

Cella has dated this Grand Tour Alabaster Model to the 1880s.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1238171
Dealers Internal Ref
CA1159
Cella
Cella
Sellingantiques verified Since May 2019

Specialists in the grand tour and french decorative objects, clocks and furniture, circa 1780-1880.

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Cella Profile Page

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A carved off-white alabaster architectural model depicting the Baptistery of Pisa resting on a circular stepped marble base.
1 / 5
Archive I A carved off-white alabaster architectural model depicting the Baptistery of Pisa resting on a circular stepped marble base.

Grand Tour Alabaster Model of the Baptistery of St. John

Archive II A carved off-white alabaster architectural model depicting the Baptistery of Pisa resting on a circular stepped marble base. View II
Archive III A carved off-white alabaster architectural model depicting the Baptistery of Pisa resting on a circular stepped marble base. View III
Archive IV A carved off-white alabaster architectural model depicting the Baptistery of Pisa resting on a circular stepped marble base. View IV
Archive V A carved off-white alabaster architectural model depicting the Baptistery of Pisa resting on a circular stepped marble base. View V
Enlarged Archival View
Cella

Cella
Telephone 020 8299 4945
Location
London
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/cellantiques
Verified Since May 2019
Items For Sale 75
Items Sold 304
Cella
Cella
Verified Since May 2019
View Dealer Info
Location: London, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/cellantiques
Verified
May 2019
For Sale
75
Sold
304
A carved off-white alabaster architectural model depicting the Baptistery of Pisa resting on a circular stepped marble base.
Grand Tour alabaster model of the Baptistery of St. John
Ref: SA1238171
A carved off-white alabaster architectural model depicting the Baptistery of Pisa resting on a circular stepped marble base.
Detail View 1
Detail View 2
Detail View 3
Detail View 4
Archival Detail

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Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectArchitectural Models
  • Period19th century
  • StyleGrand Tour
  • MaterialAlabaster, Marble
  • ColourOff-White
  • MotifsArcaded tiers, Conical dome, Round arches, Stepped circular base
  • SizeH 14.5 cm (6 in) x W 11 cm (4 in)

This nineteenth-century Grand Tour architectural model depicts the Baptistery of St. John in Pisa, originating from Italy around 1880. Made from off-white alabaster and marble, the piece takes the form of a carved tiered structure featuring round arches, arcaded tiers, a conical dome, and a stepped circular base. The solid construction displays fine hand-carving throughout, including detailed columns, vertical ribs across the dome, and ashlar masonry textures. The item measures 14.5 cm high and 11 cm wide. Suitable for placement on a bookshelf in a gentleman's library, the decorative model rests securely upon its round marble plinth. The muted off-white tone complements traditional study interiors and cabinet displays. The miniature building stands independently as a desktop ornament or decorative shelf accessory within domestic spaces.

FAQs

During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, young European aristocrats undertook the Grand Tour across continental Europe to study classical antiquity, art, and architecture. Local Italian artisans crafted detailed scale replicas of famous monuments, such as the Pisa Baptistery and the Colosseum, out of stone, alabaster, or bronze to sell as educational keepsakes and status symbols.

Grand Tour architectural models were primarily hand-carved from natural minerals and stones native to Italy, including Italian alabaster, white Carrara marble, rouge marble, and micro-mosaic inlays. Alabaster was particularly favoured by craftsmen in Volterra and Florence for its softness, fine grain, and slight translucency when polished.

Authentic period pieces exhibit hand-carved details, subtle irregularities in column spacing, and visible micro-tool marks under magnification. The stone typically displays age-appropriate surface oxidation, natural mineral veining, and a soft sheen rather than the uniform, cold finish of modern resin cast reproductions.

Architectural models serve as structured focal points when displayed on a curated bookshelf, mantelpiece, or console table alongside leather-bound books and framed prints. Their classical geometric shapes provide balanced visual weight in modern minimalist, traditional, or eclectic room schemes.

Alabaster is a soft, porous stone that dissolves easily in water and absorbs liquids quickly. Clean the surface using a soft, dry natural-bristle brush or microfiber cloth to remove dust, and avoid applying commercial stone cleaners, water, or chemical polish.
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