Pair of Carved and Polished Malachite Vide-Poches, or Ash Trays Circa 1960

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A striking pair of sculptural desk dishes carved from exceptionally decorative malachite, each fashioned as a low, organically shaped receptacle … Read more A striking pair of sculptural desk dishes carved from exceptionally decorative malachite, each fashioned as a low, organically shaped receptacle with softly rounded contours and a deeply polished surface. The stones display the mineral’s characteristic concentric banding in richly saturated shades of emerald, forest green, and near-black, creating complex patterns that appear almost topographical. Although conceived as a pair, the dishes differ in scale and outline, emphasizing the natural individuality of the mineral specimens from which they were cut.

The larger example possesses a substantial, irregularly geometric profile with a broad recessed well. Its polished sides reveal dramatic horizontal strata, while the interior presents a remarkable sequence of concentric bands resembling ripples, contour lines, or the growth rings of an ancient tree. The smaller dish is more compact and rounded, its surface animated by sinuous bands and distinctive orbicular formations—small, flower-like configurations that provide an especially attractive counterpoint to the sweeping patterns of the larger piece.

Each vessel has been carefully hollowed, ground, and polished to enhance the optical depth and richly variegated structure of the stone. The undersides retain contrasting evidence of the material’s natural formation: the larger example exposes a broad area of botryoidal, or clustered, malachite growth, while the smaller reveals a more restrained natural surface surrounding a circular worked area. These unfinished passages offer an instructive view of the mineral before polishing and establish a compelling dialogue between raw geological specimen and refined decorative object.

Malachite has been valued since antiquity for its intense green coloration and dramatic figuring, later becoming especially fashionable in European and Russian decorative arts. By the nineteenth century, it was associated with princely interiors, Kunstkammer collections, and sophisticated lapidary production. These dishes continue that tradition on an intimate scale, functioning variously as vide-poches, jewelry rests, desk trays, or purely sculptural mineral specimens. Their substantial weight, tactile surfaces, and highly individualized patterns make them particularly suited to a refined library, dressing table, or cabinet-of-curiosities setting.

**Measurements:** Larger dish: 5.5 in. wide × 3.5 in. deep × 2 in. high. Smaller dish: approximately 3.5 in. wide × 3 in. deep × 1.25 in. high. See less