Alabaster Fruit

Alabaster fruit is an old Italian decorative object carved from stone in the form of fruit. Soft outlines and colors of familiar fruits such as pears, peaches, apples, and grapes are captured together with the texture of natural stone. At ambiant, we present antique alabaster fruit and marble fruit sourced directly in Tuscany, Italy.

Alabaster is a stone with a soft white or translucent character. It is relatively softer than marble and well suited to fine carving and modeling. In Tuscany, Volterra and the Val di Cecina area are known as centers of alabaster quarrying and craft. Alabaster has been used in Volterra since Etruscan times, and the craft has been passed down for more than 2,000 years. From the late 18th century, workshop production expanded, and sculpture, vessels, and many kinds of interior ornaments were made.

At ambiant, we choose pieces that are not uniformly finished, but have settled in sheen and color over time, with worn stone surfaces, small chips, and tonal variation. From pieces with the soft translucency of alabaster to those with the weight and grain of marble, we buy while looking at the character of each one.

In the shop, we keep several kinds of antique stone fruit on display, including pieces not listed online. The selection changes with each buying trip. If you are looking for a particular fruit, please feel free to enquire.