Small Italian Carved Marble Shell Basin or Vide Poche, 20th C

Hand-carved in Italy during the 1900’s, this small marble lobed basin would make a great vide-poche. A vide-poche (literally “empty pocket”) is a small storage bowl for everyday items, such as car keys, loose change, wallets, etc. A marble basin of this size might have originally been used in a Catholic church as a holy water vessel. The gadrooned lobes carved along the outside give the appearance of a stylized scalloped shell. On the back of the shell is an excavated block of marble, which is how the basin would have been affixed to a wall. The beautiful beige colored marble with burgundy inclusions and white veining has been carved with a quarter round molding along the rim. A versatile item, our small Italian marble shell basin...

Salvaged from the garden of an Italian villa, this marble basin was hand-carved in the early 1900’s and most recently used as a planter. The ovate shaped bowl has an exterior width of 31 inches and has a small drainage hole in the bottom. A square, rough-cut block that extends from the backside would be used to affix the basin to a wall. The gray marble is naturally weathered, giving the stone a matte finish with a nice speckled black patina. Not only would this piece be a unique garden planter, the antique basin...

Hand-carved in northern Italy, circa 1800, this lobed basin was crafted from beautiful Verona rosso marble, most likely as a holy water receptacle in a church. Known for its reddish color and light veining, this particular marble has a wonderful rose color with light gray, cream, and brown veining. Thick gadroon lobes adorn the outside of the oval basin, beneath a quarter-round rim under a raised molding. The timeless carvings and warm color of the marble can be paired with just about any style of interior design. Our Italian lobed basin would make a fantastic decorative bowl on a foyer center table...

Salvaged from the garden of an Italian villa, this marble basin was hand-carved in the early 1900’s and most recently used as a planter. The ovate shaped bowl has an exterior width o...

Spanish hand-carved marble washbasin with shell shape.

19th Century marble oval Tazza centerpiece bowl A beautifully marbled bowl on foot with a scalloped outer rim. The lines of the marble from beige to da...

A hand carved, oval shaped rimmed basin with drainage hole.

A clean-lined interpretation of an ancient form, this footed basin was hand-carved by artisans in China's Shandong province. It looks as if it were meticulo...