John J. Gredler Works of Art, Inc. 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 ...

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...

Unique model of dial plastic phone by Sergio Todeschini, made in Italy in the 1970's.

Vintage Italian Alabaster Owl Paperweight. A fantastic mid-century Italian marble paperweight with yellow and black glass eyes. Whimsical hand carved s...

A handsome French 18th century balance scale in iron and brass. The balance mechanism is in iron. The foot and the plates are in brass. The...

Traditional Italian fan is an original decorative object realized in Italy in the half of the 18th century. The fan is realized completely in gilded silk, decorated gilded wood an...

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...

Elegant bronze mortar from the 17 century from Italy dated 1630. Really rare mortar due to his big size. In very good condition and beautiful patina.

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...

Set of bronze artillery cannons with Italian royal insignia. Set of three vintage patinated bronze artillery models including a larger cannon on hand ca...

Murano midcentury modern 1960s Millefiori flower, green, blue, red, white murine Italian Art Glass paperweight.

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