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Chimes of Normandy Musical Clock
Located in New Orleans, LA
Chimes of Normandy Musical Clock
Early 20th Century
A masterpiece of horology and woodworking, the Chimes of Normandy Clock exemplifies early 20th-cent...
Category
Early 20th Century Table Clocks and Desk Clocks
Materials
Oak
Moser Blue Glass and Enamel Parrot Ewer
By Moser
Located in New Orleans, LA
Glass and Enamel Parrot Ewer
Moser
Late 19th Century
This stunning Moser pitcher embodies the pinnacle of Bohemian art glass. Ewers are among the most exciting creations by this wor...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Czech Bohemian Barware
Materials
Enamel
Edwardian Satinwood Table
Located in New Orleans, LA
This exquisite hand-painted English satinwood parlor table features a beautifully refined design and is embellished with delicate floral and classical motifs—hallmarks of the Edwardi...
Category
Early 20th Century English Edwardian Tables
Materials
Satinwood
Gallé Cameo Elephant Vase
By Émile Gallé
Located in New Orleans, LA
Cameo Glass Elephant Vase
Émile Gallé
Circa 1925
This monumental Art Nouveau vase is one of the finest achievements of Émile Gallé’s iconic glassmaking firm. Showcasing Gallé’s mast...
Category
20th Century French Art Nouveau Vases
Materials
Glass
Georgian Silver Wine Funnel by Hester Bateman
By Hester Bateman
Located in New Orleans, LA
Silver Wine Funnel
Hester Bateman
Hallmarked London, 1784
Featuring her signature beaded edging and refined style, this George III silver wine funnel was crafted by the “Queen of th...
Category
Antique 18th Century English Georgian Barware
Materials
Silver
Silver and Lacquer Sake Set by Unno Shomin
Located in New Orleans, LA
Silver and Lacquer Sake Set
Unno Shomin
Meiji period, late 19th century
This extraordinary sake set exemplifies the pinnacle of Japanese craftsmanship, created by the esteemed Unno ...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Japanese Meiji Tea Sets
Materials
Silver
Monumental Three-Train Bracket Clock by J.C. Jennens & Sons
Located in New Orleans, LA
This intricately detailed 19th-century bracket clock from famed English firm J.C. Jennens & Sons is monumental in size, likely made for one of the great world exhibitions or perhaps to put in the firm's own store window. The eight-day timepiece has a triple fusee...
Category
Antique 19th Century English Table Clocks and Desk Clocks
Materials
Bronze
Tiffany Studios Counterbalance Desk Lamp
By Tiffany Studios
Located in New Orleans, LA
Counter Balance Desk Lamp
Louis Comfort Tiffany
Circa 1900
Designed by the iconic Louis Comfort Tiffany, this exceptional desk lamp is the pinnacle of Art Nouveau design. The origin...
Category
20th Century American Art Nouveau Table Lamps
Materials
Bronze
Cylinder Music Box by Le Coultre Freres
Located in New Orleans, LA
This outstanding Swiss cylinder music box was crafted by the prestigious firm of Le Coultre Freres of Geneva. The highly intricate movement plays a selection of twelve popular tunes ...
Category
Antique 19th Century Swiss Decorative Boxes
Materials
Metal
Blue Acanthes Vase by René Lalique
By René Lalique
Located in New Orleans, LA
Acanthes Pattern Vase
René Lalique
Circa 1921
This rare Acanthes pattern vase by René Lalique captures the refined elegance and natural beauty synonymous with his artistry. Designed...
Category
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Vases
Materials
Glass
Chrysanthemum Silver Gilt Bowls by Tiffany & Co.
By Tiffany & Co.
Located in New Orleans, LA
Set of 8 Silver-Gilt Bowls
Tiffany & Co.
1907-1947
This elegant set of eight silver gilt bowls by Tiffany & Co. is a testament to the famed company's timeless artistry and lasting c...
Category
20th Century American Art Nouveau Serving Bowls
Materials
Silver
Pair of Napoleon III Royal Rouge Griotte Athenienne
Located in New Orleans, LA
Royal Rouge Griotte Marble Athenienne
After Pierre Gouthière
Late 19th Century
This monumental pair of Napoleon III gilt bronze-mounted Royal Rouge Griotte athenienne perfume vases ...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century French Empire Garniture
Materials
Griotte Marble, Bronze
Rounded Papillion Vase by Loetz
By Loetz Glass
Located in New Orleans, LA
This exquisite vase belongs to Loetz's prestigious Papillon collection and is identified as the 7724 form. Renowned for its captivating color palette, this piece showcases a striking...
Category
Antique 19th Century Czech Art Nouveau Vases
Materials
Art Glass
Georgian Silver Basket by Peter Archambo
By Peter Archambo
Located in New Orleans, LA
Silver Basket
Peter Archambo
Hallmarked London, 1740
This stunning George II silver basket is a remarkable example of the artistry and craftsm...
Category
Antique 18th Century English George II Decorative Baskets
Materials
Silver
Vincenti et Cie Mantel Clock for Bailey, Banks & Biddle
Located in New Orleans, LA
Wooden Mantel Clock
Vincenti et Cie
Late 19th century
The mechanism is marked "Vincenti et Cie, Médaille d'Argent 1855, Made in France." Vincenti et Cie, established in 1823 by Jean Vincenti in Montbéliard, was revitalized by Albert Roux in 1829, who expanded and innovated the company. Under Roux's leadership, the firm continued its Montbéliard operations and opened a store in Paris in 1850 on Rue d'Anjou in the Marais. The company earned a silver medal (Médaille d'Argent) at the 1855 Exposition Universelle, for which this clock bears the mark "Médaille d'Argent, 1855," symbolizing its excellent craftsmanship.
The clock dial is marked Bailey, Banks & Biddle for the oldest nationwide jeweler in America, originally founded in 1832 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The company is one of America's most prestigious retailers, known for creating the updated and final version of the Great Seal of the United States as well as the first 40,000 Purple Heart medals...
Category
Antique 19th Century French Mantel Clocks
Materials
Oak
Pair of 32" Terrestrial and Celestial Globes
Located in New Orleans, LA
Pair of Terrestrial and Celestial Globes
G & T London
20th Century
This extraordinary pair of 32-inch terrestrial and celestial globes, crafted by G & T London, pays homage to the m...
Category
20th Century English Scientific Instruments
Materials
Metal
Blue John Table
Located in New Orleans, LA
Blue John Table
Circa 1840
This extraordinary table is among the finest examples of rare Blue John plateaus in a single continuous slab. Elevated by a monumental mahogany base adorn...
Category
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Tables
Materials
Precious Stone, Wood, Mahogany
George II Mahogany Pembroke Table by Thomas Chippendale
By Thomas Chippendale
Located in New Orleans, LA
Pembroke Table
Thomas Chippendale
Circa 1780
This highly significant Pembroke table is a rare example of Thomas Chippendale's exceptional craftsmanship, showcasing his legacy's unpa...
Category
Antique 18th Century English Chippendale Game Tables
Materials
Brass
Thomas Webb & Sons Two-Color Cameo Vase
By Thomas Webb & Sons
Located in New Orleans, LA
Of all the glassworks produced in the late 19th century, cameo glass was the most challenging to perfect. Only a handful of artisans succeeded in mastering this intricate craft, with...
Category
Antique 19th Century English Vases
Materials
Glass
Baccarat Crystal and Doré Bronze Centerpiece
By Baccarat
Located in New Orleans, LA
Luxurious doré bronze cradles the finest Baccarat crystal in this beautiful French Second Empire compote centerpiece. This magnificent vessel reflects the elaborate Louis XV style th...
Category
Antique 19th Century French Louis XV Centerpieces
Materials
Crystal, Bronze
Georgian Silver Wine Coasters by Hester Bateman
By Hester Bateman
Located in New Orleans, LA
Sterling Silver Wine Coasters
Hester Bateman
Hallmarked London, 1793
This exquisite pair of George III period sterling silver wine coasters is the work of the legendary Hester Batem...
Category
Antique 18th Century English Sterling Silver
Materials
Sterling Silver
18th-Century French Gold Etui
Located in New Orleans, LA
A marvelous objet d'art is this exquisite Louis XVI-era étui. Crafted entirely of green and yellow gold, this stunning octagonal vessel bears an exceptional, engraved Neoclassical de...
Category
Antique 18th Century French Louis XVI Decorative Boxes
Materials
Gold
Christofle Silverplate Wine Trolley
By Christofle
Located in New Orleans, LA
Silverplate Wine Trolley
Christofle
Circa 1873
This magnificent late 19th-century silver-plated wine trolley was expertly crafted by Christofle, the esteemed French firm renowned fo...
Category
Antique 19th Century French Victorian Sheffield and Silverplate
Materials
Silver Plate, Bronze
Thomas Webb & Sons Tri-Color Cameo Vase
By Thomas Webb & Sons
Located in New Orleans, LA
Of all the glassworks produced in the late 19th century, cameo glass was the most challenging to perfect. Only a handful of artisans succeeded in mastering this intricate craft, with...
Category
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Vases
Materials
Glass
Micromosaic Snuff Box
Located in New Orleans, LA
This exceptional micromosaic snuff box represents the heights of this ancient art form. Depicting four doves sitting atop a bronze dish, the inse...
Category
Antique 19th Century Neoclassical Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Materials
Bronze
Thomas Webb & Sons Tri-Layer Cameo Vase
By Thomas Webb & Sons
Located in New Orleans, LA
Of all the glassworks produced in the late 19th century, cameo glass was the most challenging to perfect. Only a handful of artisans succeeded in mastering this intricate craft, with...
Category
Antique 19th Century English Vases
Materials
Glass
Swiss Enamel and Gold Telescope
Located in New Orleans, LA
Swiss Enamel and Gold Telescope
Circa 1820
This extraordinary telescope exemplifies a rare union of 19th-century Swiss scientific innovation and artis...
Category
Antique 19th Century Scientific Instruments
Materials
Metal, Gold, Enamel
Georgian Silver Wine Ewer by Hester Bateman
By Hester Bateman
Located in New Orleans, LA
Silver Wine Ewer
Hester Bateman
Marked 1785 with English standard mark
The embodiment of undeniable beauty and skill, this rare Georgian silver wine ewer was crafted by Hester Batem...
Category
Antique 18th Century English Georgian Pitchers
Materials
Silver
Rothschild "Poetry" Silver Gilt Salver by Elkington & Co.
By Elkington & Co.
Located in New Orleans, LA
Silver Gilt Salver
Elkington & Co.
Hallmarked Birmingham, 1889
Remarkable provenance, breathtaking artistry and exceptional rarity make this majestic silver gilt salver by Elkington...
Category
Antique 19th Century English Renaissance Revival Platters and Serveware
Materials
Silver, Sterling Silver
Venus Clipping the Wings of Cupid Mantel Clock by Thomire & Cie
By Thomire & Cie., Louis Moinet
Located in New Orleans, LA
This splendid Empire gilt bronze French mantel clock, signed on the dial by bronzier Pierre-Philippe Thomire and watchmaker Louis Moinet, features an exquisitely detailed scene of Ve...
Category
Antique 19th Century French Empire Mantel Clocks
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Daum Nancy Tall Fuchsia Vase
By Daum
Located in New Orleans, LA
Tall Fuchsia Vase
Daum Nancy
Circa 1900
This monumental Daum Nancy vase is a masterwork of Art Nouveau glassmaking, created around the turn of the centur...
Category
20th Century French Art Nouveau Vases
Materials
Enamel
Japanese Bronze Elephant and Tigers by Genryusai Seiya
Located in New Orleans, LA
Bronze Elephant and Tigers Genryusai Seiya
19th century
This extraordinary bronze sculpture by Genryusai Seiya, a master of the Meiji period, depicts a breathtaking battle between a...
Category
Antique 19th Century Japanese Meiji Animal Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Art Deco Table Lamp by Pierre D'Avesn
By Pierre D'Avesn
Located in New Orleans, LA
Glass Table Lamp
Pierre d'Avesn
Circa 1930
This rare and captivating Art Deco table lamp by Pierre d'Avesn epitomizes the refined elegance of the era. Fashioned in frosted and molde...
Category
20th Century French Art Deco Table Lamps
Materials
Glass
Nubian Dancer by Carl Kauba
By Carl Kauba
Located in New Orleans, LA
Exemplary of Art Nouveau elegance, the sensuous female form is the focus of this Viennese bronze by Austrian sculptor Carl Kauba (1865 - 1922). The intricately detailed bronze captures the supple form of an exotic Nubian dancer in a true representation of the era’s predominant aesthetic. Both classical and evocative, the nude figure is adorned by an array of bronze jewelry, including a stunning golden belt with chained pendants. Set upon a marble base, she is a stunning example of the erotic bronzes popular at the turn of the century.
Born in 1865 to a shoemaker, the Vienna-born Kauba became a well-known early 20th-century sculptor of Native Americans and other western figures. A pupil of Carl Waschmann and Stefan Schwartz in Austria, he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna and traveled widely in the American West, sketching and modeling, after spending two years in Paris. He is also noted for his "Naughties" - a collection of mechanical push button sculptures...
Category
20th Century Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Bronze
René Lalique Danaides Opalescent and Stained Glass Vase
By René Lalique
Located in New Orleans, LA
Crafted by the celebrated French glassmaker René Lalique, this exquisite Danaides vase is one of the master artisan's most unique and beautiful designs. Molded from polished opalesce...
Category
20th Century French Art Deco Vases
Materials
Glass
Georgian Davenport Desk Attributed to Gillows
By Gillows of Lancaster & London
Located in New Orleans, LA
There is more to this exceptional George IV Davenport desk than meets the eye. Attributed to famed cabinetmaker Gillows of Lancaster and London and crafted of luxurious rosewood, the...
Category
Antique 19th Century English Georgian Desks
Materials
Leather, Rosewood
Royal Chrysanthemum Silver Gilt Teacups and Saucers by Tiffany & Co.
By Tiffany & Co.
Located in New Orleans, LA
Tiffany & Co.’s beloved Chrysanthemum pattern is showcased in this rare and exceptional teacup service created for royalty. Bearing the coronet of a European baron, this set contains...
Category
20th Century American Art Nouveau Tea Sets
Materials
Silver
Edo-period Green-Laced Samurai Suit
Located in New Orleans, LA
This exceptional Moegi Odoshi Nimai-Dou Gusoku (Green Laced Armour), crafted in the 17th century, exemplifies the pinnacle of Edo-period samurai armor design and craftsmanship. Made ...
Category
Antique 17th Century Japanese Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Materials
Copper, Iron
Edo-period Orange-Laced Samurai Suit
Located in New Orleans, LA
For samurai warriors, the functionality of their armor was as vital as its striking beauty—both elements held equal importance. This orange-laced armor is one of the rarest and most stunning complete Edo-period samurai suits ever crafted, designed for a military leader to convey the gravity of his power and warrior spirit at a single glance.
This particularly rare armor...
Category
Antique 18th Century Asian Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Materials
Copper, Iron
Edo Period Samurai Suit Of Armor
Located in New Orleans, LA
This exquisite Tetsusabiji Uchidashi Gomai Dou Gusoku (Five-Plate Russet Iron Embossed Cuirass Armor), crafted in the 18th century, exemplifies the pinnacle of Edo-period samurai arm...
Category
Antique 18th Century Asian Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Materials
Copper, Iron
Tiffany & Co. Silver Serving Dish
By Tiffany & Co.
Located in New Orleans, LA
This exceptional two-handled serving bowl by Tiffany & Co. commemorates the marriage of Elizabeth Beirne McFarland and Randolph Barksdale, a prominent Virginia family, on May 26, 185...
Category
Antique 19th Century American Platters and Serveware
Materials
Sterling Silver
René Lalique Acanthes Vase
By René Lalique
Located in New Orleans, LA
Abstracted foliage swirls to form this Lalique vase in the Acanthes design, first designed by René Lalique on February 28, 1927. Inspired by the timeless natural motif, this vase emb...
Category
20th Century French Art Deco Vases
Materials
Glass
OSS Agent Personal Collection
Located in New Orleans, LA
This rare collection offers an unprecedented glimpse into the secretive life of Eli Popovich, an engineer, master parachutist and friend and collaborator to one of the most influential underground leaders during WWII, Josip Broz...
Category
20th Century American Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Glass, Wood
English Stick Barometer by Worthington of London
Located in New Orleans, LA
This exceptional English stick barometer is a classic example of these intriguing meteorological instruments. Crafted by the esteemed Worthington & All...
Category
Antique 19th Century English Georgian Scientific Instruments
Materials
Mahogany
Pair of Old Paris Platinum Vases
By Old Paris
Located in New Orleans, LA
An important pair of Old Paris platinum-ground and gilt-trimmed porcelain vases with classical figures on each of the panels. Excellent condition.
Circa 1...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century French Neoclassical Vases
Materials
Porcelain
Meissen Porcelain Fall Figural Group
By Meissen Porcelain
Located in New Orleans, LA
A pair of putti holding symbols of the harvest adorn this Meissen porcelain figural group entitled Fall. Part of the company's Seasons series, these charming characters rest upon a r...
Category
Antique 19th Century German Rococo Porcelain
Materials
Porcelain
Tiffany & Co. Chrysanthemum Silver Gilt Oval Bowls, Set of 6
By Tiffany & Co.
Located in New Orleans, LA
Set of 6 Silver-Gilt Bowls
Tiffany & Co.
1907-1947
This set of silver-gilt Chrysanthemum oval bowls by Tiffany & Co. serve as a grand addition to any fine dining affair. The gilding...
Category
Early 20th Century American Art Nouveau Sterling Silver
Materials
Sterling Silver
Royal Silver Gilt Tazze by Digby Scott and Benjamin Smith
By Benjamin Smith
Located in New Orleans, LA
This extraordinary pair of silver gilt tazze was crafted by the famed partnership of Digby Scott and Benjamin Smith. The tazze are exemplary of the superior work produced by Scott an...
Category
Antique 19th Century English Georgian Serving Pieces
Materials
Silver
Sèvres Rulers of France Portrait Medallions
By Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres
Located in New Orleans, LA
This exceptionally rare set of sixteen Sèvres portrait medallions captures the illustrious history of one of the world’s most powerful monarchies—the French Crown. Exquisitely crafte...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Decorative Art
Materials
Porcelain
Silver-Gilt Exhibition Tea Table by Maison Aucoc
Located in New Orleans, LA
Silver-Gilt Tea Table
Maison Aucoc
Circa 1904
The turn of the century was the golden age of the great international exhibitions, the venues at which artisans from across the globe w...
Category
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Card Tables and Tea Tables
Materials
Vermeil
Art Deco Tea and Coffee Service by Crichton of London
By Crichton Brothers
Located in New Orleans, LA
This elegant and monumental Art Deco coffee and tea service was crafted by Crichton of London, one of the finest silversmiths of the early 20th century. This rare service is still in...
Category
Early 20th Century English Art Deco Platters and Serveware
Materials
Silver
Limoges Enamel Vase
By Limoges
Located in New Orleans, LA
A lovely Limoges enamel vase featuring a handsome gentleman in richly appointed period costume. Excellent condition. Circa 1900.
Category
Early 20th Century French Other Vases
Materials
Ceramic
Napoleon III’s Silver-Gilt Library Reading Lamp
Located in New Orleans, LA
Emperor Napoleon III's Silver-Gilt Library Lamp
Alexis Falize
Circa 1865
This extraordinary silver-gilt library lamp was custom-made for Emperor Napoleon III by the renowned jeweler...
Category
Antique 19th Century French Candle Lamps
Materials
Silver
Odysseus and Theseus French Empire Mantle Clock by André Antoine Ravrio
Located in New Orleans, LA
Odysseus and Theseus French Empire Mantel Clock
André Antoine Ravrio
Circa 1800
This monumental Empire mantel clock by André Antoine Ravrio, whose case is crafted entirely of gilded...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Mantel Clocks
Materials
Bronze
Thomas Webb & Son Two-Handled Cameo Amphora Vase by Thomas Woodall
By Thomas Webb & Sons
Located in New Orleans, LA
Of all the glassworks produced in the late 19th century, cameo glass was the most challenging to perfect. Only a handful of artisans succeeded in mastering this intricate craft, with...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century English Vases
Materials
Glass
Tiffany & Co. Silver Punchbowl with Bird
By Tiffany & Co.
Located in New Orleans, LA
This elegant hand-chased sterling silver bowl by Tiffany & Co. is crafted in the extraordinary Japanese style that earned widespread praise ...
Category
20th Century American Art Nouveau Platters and Serveware
Materials
Sterling Silver
French Empire Troubadour Mantel Clock
By Le Roy
Located in New Orleans, LA
This resplendent French Empire gilt bronze mantel clock features an extraordinarily detailed scene of a singing troubadour with his lyre along a rocky river bank. Accompanied by a wi...
Category
Antique 19th Century French Empire Mantel Clocks
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Louis XVI Bronze Ormolu Candelabra with Putti
Located in New Orleans, LA
Exquisitely crafted of bronze ormolu, these rare twin candelabra exhibit the Neoclassical grandeur of the Louis XVI style. Two brushed-bronze putti holding spears support the five-li...
Category
Antique 19th Century Louis XVI Candelabras
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Thomas Webb & Sons Cameo Two-Handled Vase by George Woodall
By Thomas Webb & Sons, George Woodall
Located in New Orleans, LA
This rare and significant cameo glass vase exemplifies the exceptional craftsmanship of George Woodall, a master artist celebrated for his outstanding skill in cameo carving. The amp...
Category
Antique 19th Century English Other Vases
Materials
Glass
Wedgwood First Edition Portland Vase
By Josiah Wedgwood
Located in New Orleans, LA
This extraordinary First Edition Wedgwood rendering of the legendary Portland Vase is one of the rarest masterpieces of Josiah Wedgwood, the most important ceramics manufacturer of the 18th century. A tour de force of ceramic art, the Portland Vase First Editions are regarded as one of the greatest ceramic accomplishments of the 18th century, and they are a testament to the superior skill of Josiah Wedgwood, his extraordinary ambition and his tireless dedication to perfection. One of the very few First Editions still in private hands, this exceptional Wedgwood Portland Vase is one of the most important works of ceramics on the market.
The story of Wedgwood and the Portland Vase is legendary. The original Portland Vase is the ancient world's most famous decorative arts masterpiece—a cameo glass vase dating to circa 25 CE with a frieze representing the myth of Peleus and Thetis, initially thought to be carved from stone. When it was first rediscovered around 1582, it captivated the world with its opaque white cameo figures over its rich blue background. After the vase was excavated it was owned by Cardinal Barberini, whose family later sold it to the Duke of Hamilton who eventually sold it to the Duchess of Portland, from whom the famed vase now takes its name.
The famed British sculptor John Flaxman was likely the first to have brought the vase to Wedgwood’s attention. In a letter dated February 5, 1784, he wrote: “I wish you may soon come to town to see William Hamilton’s vase, it is the finest production of Art that has been brought to England and seems to be the very apex of perfection to which you are endeavouring to bring your bisque and jasper…” Indeed, the Portland Vase is a masterpiece of cameo-cutting, with a stunning frieze of opaque white cameo glass over its translucent deep blue form. Its beauty and translucence would inspire Wedgwood to undertake his years-long endeavor to precisely replicate the original in porcelain.
Upon closer examination, Wedgwood realized the vase was not made of stone or earthenware, but of cameo glass—a technique so advanced it remains the masterpiece of cameo-cutting. Today, the vase is housed in the British Museum, where it is the second most viewed antiquity, only after the Rosetta Stone. It then took Wedgwood several painstaking years to craft his unparalleled copy of the vase, during which he perfected the jasperware technique that would become his crowning achievement. To this day, the renowned porcelain firm regards the vase as its most momentous triumph, so much so that the vessel’s silhouette is incorporated into the Wedgwood logo.
The four years it took Wedgwood to complete his vase were not without tribulations. From the start, Wedgwood encountered numerous problems with his copies, from cracking and blistering to the difficulty of replicating the translucent effects of the original. The first acceptable copy was produced in October 1789 and sent to Wedgwood’s physician and friend Erasmus Darwin, the grandfather of Charles Darwin. Wedgwood presented another copy to Queen Charlotte in May 1790 and afterward organized a private exhibition of the vase at the Portland House in London. The viewing proved so popular that Wedgwood was forced to restrict the show to 1,900 visitors. Much of London wished to see Wedgwood’s greatest major achievement. Perhaps the highest praise of Wedgwood’s copy came from the famed artist Sir Joshua Reynolds, the founder of the British Royal Academy: “I can venture to declare it a correct and faithful imitation, both in regard to the general effect, and the most minute detail of the part.”
Over the next few years, Wedgwood's oven records listed 43 First Edition copies of the Portland Vase produced between 1791 and 1796, 11 of which were broken during the firing process. In all, it is believed around 30 First Edition vases were completed, though an unknown number of these were somewhat damaged—one of these imperfect examples is currently held by the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. The perfect examples such as ours have found their way into the most important museum collections in the world. The British Museum (London), Art Institute of Chicago, Birmingham Museum of Art, Museum of Fine Arts (Boston) and the Fitzwilliam Museum (Cambridge, UK), among others, all hold one of these highly coveted vases in their collections.
In terms of technical achievement, the First Edition Portland Vases...
Category
Antique 18th Century English Classical Roman Vases
Materials
Porcelain