.png)
Portoro marble desk organizer set, 1930s
SILVER Seller in Prato, Italy
Item description
Original and important desk set in polished black marble; the massive inkwell with an elongated octagonal shape has a container with a hinged lid that echoes the shape of the top; inside there are two cylindrical housings for glass ink containers (one is missing); On the top there is a seat for a pen; the part underneath the inkwell is rough, unpolished and has four circular black wooden feet; the ticket holders have a rectangular base with three metal supports to hold tickets or envelopes; finally we find the block with ink blotting paper. Handcrafted in France between 1930 and 1933 when the Art Deco movement was at its height, the desk set features classic, symmetrical shapes and sharp geometries that reflect the energetic and compact Art Deco style. What makes it precious and fascinating is the material it is made of: Portoro (or Portovenere) marble, one of the finest qualities of Italian marble. This material has an ancient and fascinating history that links it to the Etruscan civilisation in Luni, in the province of La Spezia (Italy), which is still its only quarrying site. The Etruscans and later the Romans loved it immensely for its decorative appearance and those celebratory golden veins, due to the oxidation of the organic substance present in the mixture, so perfect for objects of art and furnishings that over the centuries have embellished homes and given lustre to kings and emperors. Portoro is one of the most beautiful of polychrome marbles; the highly prized Italian stone has an intense, brilliant black colour with golden veins ranging from deep yellow to honey-coloured; the uniqueness of its appearance makes it a unique marble, irreplaceable as an ornamental material. There is no similar stone that is so distinctive and so luxuriously sophisticated. Portoro is a true work of art of nature, which is easy to be enchanted by. As we have said, the Portoro outcrops that are exploited for extraction are found exclusively in the province of La Spezia and extend in particular from the islands of Tinetto, Tino and Palmaria towards Portovenere. The current number of quarries is very limited compared to the last century, and the blocks are obtained inside large chambers whose vaults are supported by pillars to avoid impact on the landscape (see photo). At the beginning of the 19th century, exportation to Europe developed, first to France, Belgium and Switzerland to embellish palaces and castles such as those at Versailles, Marly and Compiegne, then to the United States of America: the large projection room at the Paramount is completely covered with the so-called "Black and Gold Marble", as Portoro marble is often called in English-speaking countries. Ours is a simple and charming set which, by virtue of its extreme elegance and its strong and decisive line, makes it pleasing to place on any desk or table. The items are in good condition, you can notice a small superficial crack on the non-glossy part under the top (see photo), moreover a glass container for the ink is missing. Measures inkwell width cm.35, depth cm.21, height cm.10; ticket holder width cm.15, depth cm.8, height cm.12; inkwell width cm.14, depth cm.8, height cm.10
ID: 4672-1645350414-33129
Item details
20-30
Time period
Item sizes
Buyer protection
The Seller guarantees that the item conforms to the description and undertakes to describe the item in detail in the advertisement. In particular with regard to the condition of the item and the characteristics required in the item ad.
In addition, the Seller shall respond precisely to users' Messages regarding the item for sale.
intOndo offers these shipping options:
- pick up at Seller's shop (free)
- intOndo ground floor shipping with predefined shipping fees within continental Italy and Europe; quotation requests for the rest of the world
- Seller shipping (if available) arranged directly by the Seller with it’s own courier/vector.
- pick up at Seller's shop (free)
- intOndo ground floor shipping with predefined shipping fees within continental Italy and Europe; quotation requests for the rest of the world
- Seller shipping (if available) arranged directly by the Seller with it’s own courier/vector.
You can request to return items within 14 days of the delivery date.
This policy is not applied to pickups.
Please to find out more, read our Buyer's Guide.
This policy is not applied to pickups.
Please to find out more, read our Buyer's Guide.
We accept these payment methods:
- credit card
- Paypal
- direct bank transfers by Sofort
- traditional bank transfers.
We remind you that your purchases are submitted to items availability in the Seller's store: if the item is not available, you'll be notified and intOndo will immediately send you the money back.
- credit card
- Paypal
- direct bank transfers by Sofort
- traditional bank transfers.
We remind you that your purchases are submitted to items availability in the Seller's store: if the item is not available, you'll be notified and intOndo will immediately send you the money back.
