S. Birley in Derbyshire made this table for the International Exhibition of 1862, which was held in London. It won prizes in the furniture and the mining classes. Birley specialised in inlaid marble objects. These imitated the Italian mosaic inlaying technique known as pietra dura, or ‘hardstone’. This piece is one of the most elaborate pieces known. In this technique, thin polished slices of hard or semi-precious stone are used. They are cut to form images, for example of flowers or fruit. Often the colours of the stones are used to produce highly naturalistic detail.
Artisans working for the powerful Medici family developed the art of Pietra dura in Florence in the 16th century. The technique is similar to marquetry on furniture. This achieves its decorative effect by arranging sections of differently coloured veneers in the manner of a jigsaw.
Physical description
Circular table of inlaid marble with designs of flowers and foliage in coloured marbles and other stones.
Place of Origin
Ashford-in-the-Water, Derbyshire, England (made)
Date
1862 (made)
Artist/maker
Randell, J. (designer)
Birley, Samuel (manufacturer)
Materials and Techniques
Marble, inlaid with coloured marbles and other stones
Dimensions
Height: 76.2 cm, Diameter: 90 cm
[Table pedestal] Height: 71 cm including protruding iron dowel
[Table top] Diameter: 90 cm, Height: 14 cm approx
Object history note
Exhibited at the London International Exhibition 1862. In his Report on Decorative Work and Upholstery, Class 15, in the Exhibition, Matthew Digby Wyatt compared Birley's table top with the pietre dure exhibited by Italian firms. 'Many very good samples of the usual imitations of flowers, &c., inlaid in black marble for table tops and cabinets, are contributed by various Florentine manufacturers, amongst whom the jury specially noted the houses of Barzanti, Betti, and Rinaldini. In the same class of goods the table top exhibited by our solitary producer in the same line, Mr. Samuel Birley, of Ashford, Derbyshire, was much admired. Observations were, however, made upon the inequality of scale in which the centre group of flowers and the surrounding wreath had been worked out.' Reports on the Paris Universal Exhibition, 1867, Vol. II, p.355.
Descriptive line
Black Ashford marble, inlaid with specimens of Derbyshire marble; designed by J. Randall and made by Samuel Birley for the London International Exhibition, English, 1862
Exhibition History
Inventing the Modern World: Decorative Arts at the World's Fairs 1851-1939 (Nelson Atkins Museum of Art 14/04/2012-19/08/2012)
Labels and date
CIRCULAR TABLE
ENGLISH
Inlaid with designs of flowers and foliage in coloured marbles and other stones on a black ground in imitation of Florentine mosaic.
Designed by J. Randall and manufactured by S. Birley. Exhibited at the International Exhibition. [pre October 2000]
TABLE
ENGLISH; 1862
Designed by J. Randall (dates unknown)
Made by S. Birley, Ashford, Derbyshire
Ashford marble inlaid with various stones
Birley manufactured inlaid marble objects in imitation of Italian Pietre Dure. This is one of the most elaborate pieces known, purchased by the Museum from the London International Exhibition of 1862 where it had won medals in both the Furniture and Mining classes. [pre July 2001]
Materials
Marble; Slate; Semi-precious stone
Techniques
Inlaid
Subjects depicted
Flowers
Categories
Furniture
Collection code
FWK
