Mexican Obsidian & Stone Mosaic Inlay Turtle Figurines, Set of 3

A trio of miniature carved turtles, each with a polished black obsidian body and a domed shell inlaid in a checkerboard mosaic of stone tesserae — a lapidary form with a long tradition among Mexican craftsmen in the Puebla and Oaxaca regions. The largest carries a vivid shell of azurite-malachite tiles in swirling blue and green patterns, with matching blue cabochon eyes. The middle figure features a mosaic of black opal fragments flashing red, green, and blue play-of-color, set with opal cabochon eyes. The smallest is tiled in deep, banded malachite with malachite cabochon eyes — the cleanest, most mineral composition of the three.

Hand-fitted work at this scale is no small task: each tessera shaped, polished, and seated against the compound curve of the carapace. The obsidian bodies are carved and polished to a high glass-smooth finish, the material's volcanic origin lending a depth to the black that resin or dyed stone simply cannot replicate. All three are unmarked, consistent with the workshop tradition of the region. The opal-inlaid example is the centerpiece of the group; together the three read as a coordinated set in complementary stones.

CONDITION

Excellent across all three pieces with no remarkable damage. Inlay tesserae sit tight to their settings, cabochon eyes are intact on all figures, and the obsidian bodies retain their high polish with no significant chips or scratches noted.

DIMENSIONS / SPECIFICATIONS

• Large (Azurite-Malachite Inlay): 3/4" H × 1 3/8" W × 2 1/2" L
• Medium (Black Opal Inlay): 3/4" H × 1 1/8" W × 2" L
• Small (Malachite Inlay): 5/8" H × 1" W × 1 5/8" L
• Bodies: Black obsidian, carved and polished
• Inlay: Malachite, black opal, and azurite-malachite tesserae
• Eyes: Matching cabochons (blue, opal, green)
• Origin: Mexico
• Unmarked
• U.S. Quarter (24mm) Shown for Scale — Not Included