Lapis Spartanus Grecian Green Porphyry

10 products

10 products
Italian Napoleonite & Figured Walnut Stylised Dolphin Console Tables with rare Corsican Napoleonite stone tops.
Italian Napoleonite & Figured Walnut Stylised Dolphin Console Tables carved dolphin detail in rich walnut wood.
Italian Napoleonite & Figured Walnut Stylised Dolphin Console Tables
Nicholas Wells Antiques
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Italian Pietra Dura Specimen Marble Centre Table Francesco Sibilio with rare stones and giltwood base circa 1835.
Italian Pietra Dura Specimen Marble Centre Table Francesco Sibilio with intricate multicolored marble pattern top.
Italian Pietra Dura Specimen Marble Centre Table Francesco Sibilio
Collection CK30
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Large Breccia D’Egypt Green Marble Coffee Table with ornate fluted column bases and rich marble top.
Large Breccia D’Egypt Green Marble Coffee Table with green marble top and gilt column bases in living room setting.
Large Breccia D’Egypt Green Marble Coffee Table
Collection CK30
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Large carved porphyritic granite gadrooned oval vase on stepped base by Collection EE20, circa 1800 Italy
Large carved porphyritic granite gadrooned oval vase on stepped base by Collection EE20, circa 1800.
Large Carved Porphyritic Granite Gadrooned Oval Vase
Collection EE20
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Pietra Dure Specimen Marble and Bronze Table with 65 rare marbles and stones, 19th-century ornate circular design.
Pietra Dure Specimen Marble and Bronze Table with 65 rare marble and precious stone inlays, 19th century design.
Pietra Dure Specimen Marble and Bronze Table
Collection CK30
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Specimen Marble Gueridon with early 19th-century marble top, fluted faux porphyry column, and giltwood base.
Specimen Marble Gueridon with intricate multicolored checkerboard marble top on a round base.
Specimen Marble Gueridon
Nicholas Wells Antiques
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A rare large scale Swedish porphyry vase as a lamp with a cylindrical body and white lampshade.
A rare large scale Swedish porphyry vase as a lamp with a polished cylindrical body and broad lip top.
A rare large scale Swedish porphyry vase as a lamp
Collection TH30
Set of 3 gnarled vine bar stools with faux porphyry seats by Collection EE30, mid-century French design.
Set of 3 gnarled vine bar stools with faux porphyry seats from Collection EE30, mid-century French design.
A Set of 3 gnarled Vine and Faux Porphyry Bar Stools
Collection EE30
Faux Porphyry Baluster Lamps by Andrew Allfree, classical wooden vases with gold leaf scroll arms, pair from Chateau Collection.
Faux Porphyry Baluster Lamps by Andrew Allfree on side tables beside classic wooden chest in elegant room setting
Faux Porphyry Baluster Lamps by Andrew Allfree
Nicholas Wells Antiques
Classical Faux Porphyry Urns as Table Lamps pair with fluted bodies and square bases, one with pleated shade.
Pair of Classical Faux Porphyry Urns as Table Lamps with fluted bodies and square bases shown with shades.
Classical Faux Porphyry Urns as Table Lamps | Pair
Collection CK40

Lapis Spartanus, also known as Grecian Green Porphyry, is a striking green stone with characteristic white or light-coloured inclusions, giving it a visually appealing and distinctive look. Known and utilised since ancient times, it was particularly popular during the Roman Empire and later found renewed interest during the era of the Grand Tour.

Originating from Sparta in Greece, hence the name, Lapis Spartanus was used extensively by the Romans. They were fond of the stone for its colour, hardness, and ability to be finely polished. The stone was used in a variety of decorative arts, including sculptural work and architectural design, providing an appealing contrast to the purple of Egyptian Porphyry, another favourite of the Romans.

Lapis Spartanus also gained academic attention. One person who took particular interest was the 19th-century Italian scholar Faustino Corsi. Corsi assembled a large collection of decorative stones, including Lapis Spartanus. His careful cataloging and description of these stones in his work, "Corsi's Catalogue," provides valuable insights into the stones used in the decorative arts during the 18th and 19th centuries.

During the period of the Grand Tour, a cultural and educational rite of passage for upper-class Europeans, samples of Lapis Spartanus were collected as souvenirs along with other porphyries and marbles. These samples, representative of classical history and culture, were seen as tangible connections to the world of the ancient Romans.
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