A marble base is a block, plinth or turned foot of polished marble used to support and weight another object, such as a table lamp, bronze figure, clock, candlestick or decorative urn. The stone gives stability, a cool and luxurious surface, and a strong visual foundation for the piece it carries.
Marble bases became especially popular in the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, when French and English makers mounted gilt-bronze figures, mantel clocks and candelabra on white Carrara, black Belgian, red griotte and green verde antico marbles, frequently with applied ormolu borders or feet. Victorian and Edwardian oil and electric lamps often rose from square or stepped marble plinths, and the Art Deco period favoured bold veined and contrasting stones. When assessing a piece, collectors look at the colour and figuring of the stone, crisp edges and corners, and whether the base is original to the object above it, since replacements and marriages are common. Chips, repaired breaks, staining from metal fittings and rust from internal bolts all affect value. Marble should be cleaned with care using pH-neutral products, as acidic cleaners and vinegar etch the surface and dull the polish.
