We've all seen obelisks, as they come in all sizes and in a variety of materials. The original obelisks are from ancient Egypt and are made of stone with a pyramid at the top and heiroglyphics on the sides. The word, "obelisk," is a Greek word, meaning "needle," used to describe these Egyptian monuments that were usually erected in pairs flanking temple doors. The various Pharoah's erected them to mark 30 years' reign. An obelisk we are all familiar with is the Washington monument, finished in December 1884 to honor George Washington.
Many of the ancient obelisks have been moved from Egypt to other parts of the world - to Place de la Concorde in Paris, and the Vatican, just to name a few. It is interesting to note that one of a pair of obelisks nicknamed "Cleopatra's Needles," stands on the Victoria Embankment by the Thames in London, and the second one is in New York's Central Park.
The one in Central Park was a gift to America in 1881 and took four months to move from the Hudson River dock to its present location. I was not aware of the history of this one, and will certainly take a look next time I am in the city.
Obelisks are grand and commanding objects. Bringing them down to our size, obelisks are versatile when used in home decor.
One example is a pair of faux marble obelisks that Charlotte Moss placed on this entry console. (From Veranda, photo by Tria Giovan.)
Besides adding interest to interiors, obelisks are perfect for the outdoor garden, often used to support climbing plants or plants are simply grown and trimmed in an obelisk shape.
This outdoor obelisk is from Plow and Hearth.
Besides stone, small obelisks can be found in wood, solid crystal, onyx, marble, brass, mirrored, or with inlay.
Typical of Maitland-Smith, we must add a touch of whimsey as well as inlay of penshell to create this stone and brass decorative accessory with frogs bent on their task.
This one is rock crystal with a dark bronze finished base and is small- only 9" tall, but sure to stand out on a small shelf or on a desk.
Next time you are in your favorite home furnishings store, be sure to look for obelisks to add just the right touch to a small space. You can find them in your local gardening store as well.
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