Fine Late C19th Carved Marble 'Grand Tour' Souvenir Ink-stand, Probably Maltese by Darmanin.

Fine late C19th carved marble 'Grand Tour' souvenir ink-stand, probably Maltese by Darmanin.

Beautifully designed and executed, carved scallop-shell form desk ink-stand or standish. Carved from a single piece of stone , believed to be either Marmo Giallo Antico or Jaune de Valence, with striking figuring and colour. The carved and 'ribbed' shell body has an integral 3-division ink/pen/sand section to the rear.

The reverse of the piece has a clearly incised letter "D" carved to the flat surface. We believe this to be the signature of the famous Maltese marble sculptors , Darmanin & Sons. Renowned for their armorial table-tops and sculptural objects, the firm founded by Giuseppe Darmanin (1779-1863) in about 1800, were the most prominent marble-workers in C19th Malta. Many of their marble-inlaid table-tops feature Mediterranean shells in the decoration , further adding to our attribution.

Giuseppetti Darmanin e Figli ( J. Darmanin & Sons ) exhibited at The Great Exhibition of 1851 at the Crystal Palace , London . Examples of their workmanship are in the Royal Collection of H.M Queen Elizabeth.

The scallop shell has from the ancient civilisations of Greece and Rome long been symbolic both of the sea and of Venus or Aphrodite , Goddess of love , she is also depicted by the Renaissance master Sandro Botticelli in his famous work "The Birth of Venus" , rising from the sea on a scallop shell .

Excellent colour and condition with no breaks,chips or repairs. Minor wear inside shell dished area from use.

Malta c.1850

W 11.5"

D 10"

H 2"

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