The Amphora L lit on a round marble side table in a room corner, holding red tulips, a curtain to the right

The Amphora L

€232,36
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The Amphora L lit on a round marble side table in a room corner, holding red tulips, a curtain to the right
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  • The Amphora L lit on a round marble side table in a room corner, holding red tulips, a curtain to the right
  • The Amphora L lit inside a dark wood cabinet niche, amber and brown bands glowing through the belly and neck
  • The Amphora L unlit on a wooden shelf, cream and honey banded stone with a flared lip and pedestal foot
  • The Amphora L lit, three-quarter view in a wooden niche, dark red and amber bands glowing, pedestal foot unlit
  • The Amphora L lit, front view on a wooden shelf, orange and grey bands glowing above a pale unlit foot
  • The Amphora L lit in a dark room with green pothos vine stems trailing from its opening
The Amphora L

The Amphora L

€232,36
Taxes included. Shipping calculated at checkout.
Description

The Amphora L

An urn shape, the old kind: a flared lip over a full belly, standing on a small pedestal foot. The stone is one piece of Egyptian alabaster, about 20 cm tall, and the finished lamp weighs 1.2 kg. There is no join in the stone. The carver started with a solid block and took away everything that was not the vase.

Unlit, it is pale. Cream to honey, with the horizontal bands you get in this stone because it formed in layers, as water moved through limestone caves and left calcite behind. Switch the lamp on and the wall goes amber. Bands you could not see a moment ago show up as darker lines running round the body, and the thinner parts of the carving glow brighter than the thick ones.

As a vase

The opening is wide enough for stems. Most people who buy this one put flowers in it and light it, so the stems and the underside of the petals sit in the glow. Dried grasses work well. Water is fine for an evening, but do not leave it standing in there for days; this is a calcium stone and it does not like being soaked.

Specifications

  • Material: Egyptian alabaster (banded calcite travertine)
  • Height: approx. 20 cm
  • Weight: approx. 1.2 kg
  • Light: internal light source
  • Construction: stone carved from a single block, with an internal lamp fitting
  • Bulb: E27 fitting. Bulb not included.
  • Care: soft dry cloth only. No acidic or abrasive cleaners.

Where it comes from

Luxor, on the west bank of the Nile. The workshops there sit near the tombs this stone was first cut for. The stone has been quarried in Egypt since antiquity, from sites in the region around Luxor and in Middle Egypt, among them Hatnub, Wadi Gerrawi and Wadi el-Assiuti, several of which were worked as far back as the Predynastic period. The material is technically calcite rather than gypsum, which is why it takes a hand tool but does not scratch as easily as the alabaster you may know from Europe. Hardness is around 3 on the Mohs scale.

We keep our stock in Amsterdam and post from there. Your alabaster vase lamp does not travel from Egypt to reach you; it is already here. Inside the EU that means days, not weeks, and no customs bill.

No two blocks match. Yours will differ from the photograph in colour and veining, and it may let through a little more or less light. That is the stone, not a fault.
Care

To maintain the beauty and integrity of your purchase, we recommend treating it with care. Simple maintenance practices, such as gentle washing and proper storage, can effectively preserve the longevity of your favorites. We encourage you to refer to the care instructions included with each item, designed to help you keep your purchase in top condition.
Design

Our dedication to excellence extends beyond materials; it encompasses the artistry and craftsmanship illustrated in every piece we create.

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