Beppe Borella’s marble toys: a block figure that weighs 35 kilos
Gadget of the day
A childhood toy that won’t fit in the toy box and won’t blow away in the wind. Italian sculptor Beppe Borella hand-carves toy figures, block figures and toy cars from colourful marble. The works are sold by the San Polo Art Gallery in Venice.
Key facts
- Artist: Beppe Borella, born 1972 in Bergamo
- Seller: San Polo Art Gallery, Salizada San Polo 2102, Venice
- Series: The Millennials (since 2005)
- Material: several types of marble and onyx, carved by hand
- Prices: approx. €1,950–8,900 in the Maison&Objet listing (incl. VAT)
Who is Beppe Borella?
According to the gallery’s profile, Borella started out as a blacksmith. The decisive turn was his collaboration with Italian sculptor Giuseppe Uncini on large iron and concrete works, and later Borella moved on to marble. In the Millennials series, begun in 2005, the shapes of toys and play turn into heavy stone sculptures. According to the gallery, the series deals with the innocence of childhood and the responsibilities of adult life.
What are the marble toys?
The works are block figures, toy cars and building bricks assembled from pieces of different-coloured stone. For example, Noah (2024) measures 40 × 28 × 18 cm and weighs 11 kg. Maximus (2024), going by the dimensions of its large version, measures 60 × 43 × 26 cm and weighs 35 kg. Creepy Coupe (2025) is a toy car to which the gallery devoted its own exhibition in July 2025. The smallest works are building bricks: Brick 4 measures 16 × 16 × 10 cm and weighs 4 kg.
On Maison&Objet’s MOM online platform, the works are listed as Marble Toys with recommended prices. Creepy Coupe and Zoe cost €8,900, Cruz €6,500, Brick 6 €2,450 and Brick 4 €1,950. The gallery gives prices only on request, and on ArchiExpo the Millennials works are priced at about €5,900 excluding taxes.
Why marble?
In Borella’s works, contrast is the whole idea. A toy is light, cheap and often plastic, but marble is heavy, expensive and eternal. The works are assembled from different types of stone, such as Carrara, Calacatta, Nero Marquina, Giallo Istria and onyx, so the colours come from the stone, not from paint. That is why every work is slightly different, and the veining makes each block figure unique.
Finnish reality check · comment
In a Finnish block of flats, a 35-kilo marble figure is best placed next to a load-bearing wall and carried up the stairs by two people. Ask for the price of shipping from Venice before you buy.
Editorial comment – not a test result.
Price and availability
- Prices: MOM listing €1,950 (Brick 4) – €8,900 (Creepy Coupe, Zoe), incl. VAT. Gallery price on request
- Shipping: according to the MOM listing, to EU countries, including Finland. Shipping costs not known
- Where: San Polo Art Gallery, Venice (sanpoloartgallery.it)
Price and availability checked 25 Oct 2026.
Based on manufacturer information – not tested by our editorial team.
Does this belong on a gadget blog?
Not really. This is fine art, not a gadget: no motor, no circuit, no app. We included it because the collision of toys and stone is exactly the kind of oddity our readers like. Just don’t expect any functionality, unless you count use as a paperweight.
Our verdict
Borella’s marble toys are a fun idea: the lightest object of childhood made from heavy stone. The prices belong to the art market, not the toy shop. If €2,000 for a building brick sounds reasonable, ask the gallery for a price and a shipping estimate. For everyone else, this is a gadget to admire, not to buy.
Sources
- San Polo Art Gallery: Beppe Borella – Contemporary Icons sculpted in Marble (checked 25 Oct 2026)
- San Polo Art Gallery: Beppe Borella (artist page) (checked 25 Oct 2026)
- San Polo Art Gallery: Creepy Coupe exhibition (checked 25 Oct 2026)
- Maison&Objet MOM: Creepy Coupe 2025 (checked 25 Oct 2026)
- Exibart Prize: I am social – Millennials (checked 25 Oct 2026)
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