How can I tell alabaster from marble?

Alabaster feels noticeably softer than marble and allows light to pass deeper beneath its surface, creating a warm, glowing translucency. You can scratch true alabaster with a fingernail or a copper coin, whereas marble resists such pressure. Marble displays harder crystalline structures and denser veining patterns compared to the uniform grain of fine alabaster.

What periods do these sculptures date from?

The pieces span the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, encompassing Victorian, Edwardian and Art Deco aesthetics. Most examples originate from the period between eighteen-fifty and nineteen-thirty. Stylistic cues like clothing styles, signatures and mounting techniques help anchor each piece within its specific decade.

Where were these sculptures made?

Italy and France produced the vast majority of these carved works, drawing on deep traditions of stone masonry and foundry casting. Italian workshops specialised in portrait busts and Grand Tour figures. French studios frequently combined carved stone with spelter or bronze elements to create decorative objects and clock garnitures.