Pair of French Art Deco Bookends in Polychrome Marble

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An exceptional and highly original pair of French marble bookends, masterfully crafted in the pure Art Deco style. Their refined … Read more An exceptional and highly original pair of French marble bookends, masterfully crafted in the pure Art Deco style. Their refined and understated design is defined by balanced proportions, clean geometric lines, perfect symmetry, and elegant sculptural forms. Handcrafted in France between 1930 and 1932 in the town of Mondelange, in the Moselle department of the Grand Est region, they originate from an area historically renowned for its highly skilled marble-working ateliers. The distinctive feature that makes this pair truly unique is the masterful combination of three different varieties of prestigious natural marble, carefully selected to create an elegant contrast of colors and textures. The L-shaped structure is carved from Rosso Levanto, one of Italy's finest ornamental marbles, admired worldwide for its exceptional beauty and distinctive appearance. It is characterized by a rich deep reddish-purple to dark brown background, dramatically enhanced by striking white veining that creates a sophisticated visual contrast. Thanks to its bold decorative character, Rosso Levanto has long been favored by architects and interior designers for luxury interiors. The second marble employed is Rosalia Lucido, distinguished by its delicate creamy-white background crossed by intricate red and orange veining that forms elegant arabesque-like patterns. While the raw stone is quarried in Turkey, its traditional finishing and polishing have long been carried out in the Carrara district of Italy. This marble has been appreciated since antiquity by the civilizations of the Black Sea and was later introduced throughout the Mediterranean by the Phoenicians and subsequently by the Romans, who highly valued its remarkable decorative qualities. The third stone is the magnificent Portoro Marble, also known as Portovenere Marble, widely regarded as one of Italy's most prestigious and luxurious natural stones. Considered among the most spectacular of all polychrome marbles, it features a deep jet-black background illuminated by brilliant golden veining that ranges from intense yellow to warm honey tones. Its extraordinary appearance makes it one of the world's most distinctive ornamental marbles, with virtually no comparable natural stone. Portoro Marble is a genuine masterpiece of nature. Its deposits are found exclusively in the Province of La Spezia, Liguria, extending from the islands of Tinetto, Tino, and Palmaria toward Portovenere, the only location in the world where this remarkable marble is still quarried. Its history dates back to the ancient Etruscan civilization of nearby Luni. Both the Etruscans and later the Romans prized this extraordinary stone for its magnificent decorative qualities and its celebrated golden veining, created by the oxidation of organic material within the stone itself. Throughout the centuries, it has been reserved for works of art, architectural decoration, and luxurious furnishings destined for the residences of royalty, nobility, and emperors. This refined pair of bookends perfectly embodies the timeless elegance of the Art Deco period, combining harmonious proportions with the rich visual appeal of three of the finest ornamental marbles ever quarried. The result is a sophisticated decorative object of exceptional craftsmanship and remarkable artistic presence. The bookends are in good condition. Dimensions: Width: 5.51 in (14 cm). Depth: 3.15 in (8 cm). Height: 4.33 in (11 cm). See less