Jewellery, Watches, Antiquities and Objects of Vertu

A collection of three Victorian Derbyshire Ashford marble plaques and two pietra dura plaques, the first three inlaid with floral sprays comprising white roses, convolvulus, jasmine and forget-me-nots; the further panels inlaid with a spray of roses and two colourful birds on a sprig of jasmine; four of the panels framed, one unframed, panel sizes - first 14.5 x 10.7cm; second 14 x 9.5cm; third 12.5 x 8.3cm; fourth 13 x 8.5cm; fifth 11.5 x 7.5cm. £400-£500

Often confused with Italian Florentine pietra dura inlay, there are subtle differences in the construction. Although influenced by Florentine designs, the construction of the inlay work differs in that the Derbyshire inlay has all the individual colours in a design largely inlaid in one piece, whereas the Italian work is made up of many minute pieces. Derbyshire black marble inlays developed into two distinct types, one as a mosaic consisting of pieces of marble and stone in regular geometric patterns, and the other, floral.

There were hundreds of variations produced in different shapes and sizes, so it is very rare to find two exactly similar pieces except if made as matching pairs. The flowers copied in the designs were varied, beautiful and very accurate in their representation. Lilies of the valley, white jasmine, hare bells, heart’s ease, snowdrops, white cyclamen, dog roses, convolvulus etc. Leaves were at first composed of malachite from Russia - but this was expensive to import and difficult to work. Later Florentine green marble found near the River Arno was imported instead, also Connemara green marble for the leaves. Most of the other materials were obtained locally.

See: Derbyshire Black Marble by John Michael Tomlinson, Pub. Peak District Mines Historical Society Jan 1996.