Patrick Moorhead Antiques Inkwells

An Encrier set with richly-veined Verde Antico marble base mounted with pair gilt-bronze inkwells flanked on either side of a Napolean bust. The marble base with pen tray rest on sh...

This is a delightful antique Victorian English silver plated engraved and embossed mug, circa 1870 in date. Condition: In excellent condition, please see photos for confirmation....

A Baccarat crystal inkwell with decorated bronze. Circa 19th century, France. The interior is two inches deep and the opening is one inch wide.

An unusual and highly sought-after vintage silver plated letter opener by the world renowned, Christian Dior. The letter opener is fashioned in the form of a belt with engraved "s...

The round paperweight framed in black marble, with porphyry and sienna marble and other marble specimens. The center in sienna marble with carved bea...

The red marble sarchophagus mounted on a slate base. Removing the top reveals an empty well.

A glamorous French silver plated tray with an intertwined “M” and “E” monogram at center. This rectangular tray features a stepped border with elegant handles and is decorated with f...

The profile of Caesar in profile in high relief. The yellow marble base with stepped edges.

A Beautiful Late 19th Century Gilt and Patina Bronze Inkwell Depicting a bronze sleeping cherub lying on a gilt bronze settee, opening up to two ink holders. Details: Height – 4 in...

The 7 1/4" ruler with 8 different specimens inset with in a black marble frame.

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...

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...