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...

Hand carved from Veronne Italy circa 1820, this antique shell form dish was originally at the entrance door of a private chapel; in its original placement, this stoup was inserted in...

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