Posted 12 years ago
vetraio50
(751 items)
This paperweight was a market purchase over twenty five years ago and has been in use ever since. I saw another paperweight over the weekend on CW listed by Deantiks and I thought I'd add this one to the discussion. The Italians call this type of ware:"gli intarsi in marmo" or "il mosaico commesso fiorentino in pietre dure".
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/65386-slate-birds-inlay
My paperweight 9.2 cm x 5.7cm. (3.6" x 2.25").
It is signed underneath in script "Menegatti" , 42 or Al (?). a some other numbers that are still illegible to me.
The weight has two butterfly "intarsi". They are made up of 12 separate pieces that have been let into the black background. I do recognize Lapis Lazuli and the bodies are perhaps 'Tufa', the wings have Agate as well as some very small 'eyes' that have been let into the surrounding stone.
The firm itself still exists at the same address in Florence in the quarter called the "Oltr'Arno" and is only a block away from the Arno at Via della Vigna Nuova 78/R.
I believe this one was done by Alberto Menegatti in the 1880's.
These days water jet technology makes this type of ware a lot easier. The earliest known Italian maker of these intarsios was Benedetto Peruzzi in 1379 in Padova, but he was also known in Florence. The work was available on the 'Grand Tour' and many notables bought table tops and transported them back over the Alps to their grand houses in Europe and beyond. Florence was the centre of this type of work and the areas nearby provided a fine selection of 'pietre dure' or hard stones that were let into what we call Belgian slate which the Italians call 'marmo di Belgio'. The hard stones include: Agate, Amethyst, Blue & Green Aventurine, Carnelian, Jasper, Lapis-Lazuli, Malachite, Carnelian, Unakite, Mother of Pearl, Sodalite, Tiger’s Eye, Onyx and local yellow, cream and beige marbles from Siena. These stones are then cut, shaped then inlaid in the black 'marmo di Belgio' & then polished.
Many thanks ho2cultcha and mustangtony too!
Beautiful ! My Favorite Butterflies or as I call them Flutterbys . Love this !!!!!!!!!!
Many thanks Manikin!
I''ll use 'flutterbys' from now on, if I may, Mani!
Many thanks SeanB!
Many thanks musikchoo!
11.15 pm and am just about to retire. Have a good day!
Many thanks Phil!
I like Flutterby's since that is what they do Vetraio . I have renamed them . They are not made of butter and that name reminds me of the farm when making butter the flies would fall into the pails of milk . Those are Butterflies and they are dirty and not pretty but a beautiful colored creature that flutters past you is a joy :-)
I love the mannequins, but they would have to b locked at night......scary.....kev.
I think 'flutterby' is an exquisite example of 'metathesis'.
Beautiful....:-)
Many thanks inky!
Many thanks bratjdd!
Just found this video on "commesso fiorentino"
http://vimeo.com/40265135
Many thanks mikie and miKKo too!
Many thanks czechman!
Many thanks AR8Jason and Slave-to-glass!
Many thanks Hedge & toracat too!
Many thanks scandiAmy!
Many thanks Mrsar8jASON & AmberRose too!
Many thanks bratjdd!!
Many thanks birdie
Stunning, very beautiful Pietra Dura work! I love it!!!!
Many thanks Agram, I'm so pleased you like it!
Many thanks AGHCOLLECT!