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5 3/4" tall by 4.5" across the top. 4 1/4" across the bottomAn antique Cornish serpentine marble model font is a 19th-century Victorian decorative desk ornament carved from rich, variegated green-and-red stone native to Lizard Peninsula, Cornwall. These miniature ecclesiastical models typically feature an octagonal bowl, multi-column supports, and a stepped circular base.Design and HistoryMaterial: Variegated green, red, and grey serpentine stone (named for its snake-like pattern), highly polished.
- Structure: Octagonal or hexagonal reservoir bowl resting upon a cluster of four or five small turned columns over a stepped base.
- Origin: Hand-turned in Cornwall, England, during the height of Victorian Gothic Revival interest (circa 1860–1890).
- Purpose: Originally crafted as souvenirs, portable clergyman tools for home blessings, or decorative desk paperweights.
An antique Cornish serpentine model font is a hand-turned, 19th-century Victorian decorative desk ornament or miniature ecclesiastical model carved from variegated serpentine stone found on the Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall, England.
Key Characteristics & History
• Material: Carved from natural serpentine stone—named for its snake-like, variegated patterns—featuring rich shades of dark green, red, grey, and white.
• Design: Typically features an octagonal or hexagonal reservoir bowl supported by a cluster of four or five small turned columns resting on a stepped circular or octagonal base.
• Origin & Purpose: Dating mostly to circa 1870–1880, t
