Agra White Marble Coasters with Pietra Dura Inlay

The technique is called pietra dura, stone set into stone, using the same method that the artisans of Agra used when laying the interior chambers of the Taj Mahal in the seventeenth century. Coral for red. Malachite for green. Mother-of-pearl for white. Each piece is cut to fit its recess by hand, then pressed into place in white Makrana marble. The artisan making these coasters can trace his lineage directly to those workshops.

Made in Agra by artisans who carry the pietra dura tradition in an unbroken line from the craftsmen who inlaid the Taj Mahal's interior chambers, these handcrafted white marble coasters are set with semi-precious stones: coral, malachite, mother-of-pearl, each piece cut and fitted by hand into the Makrana marble base. The technique has not changed because it does not need to.

At the table, these coasters protect surfaces in the way any coaster does. But their weight, their specific coldness to the touch, the way light catches each inlaid stone differently, these are qualities that belong to an object of a different order than the functional. Place a glass down. Lift it. Look at what is underneath.

White Makrana Marble · Pietra Dura Inlay · Agra · Handmade · Artisanal Semi-Precious Stones

Care Instructions

• Brass will develop a natural patina with use, this is not a defect, it is the object becoming yours.
• Hand wash only with mild soap and lukewarm water. Never put in dishwasher.
• Wipe dry immediately after washing. Do not leave wet.
• Avoid abrasive cleaners and steel wool, use a soft cloth only.
• Polish periodically with a brass-cleaning powder or lemon and salt to restore lustre.