M.S. Rau Vases and Vessels

Fairyland Lustre Covered Vase Wedgwood Circa 1925 This exceptional Wedgwood Fairyland Lustre Rainbow vase represents one of the most vibrant and coveted designs from the Fairyland L...

Blue Glass and Wrought Iron Vase Daum Nancy and Majorelle Circa 1925 This exceptional glass and wrought iron vase represents a striking collaboration between Daum Nancy and Louis Ma...

Favrile Glass Vase Louis Comfort Tiffany Circa 1900 This rare glass vase by Louis Comfort Tiffany is a striking example of Tiffany Studios’ groundbreaking innovation in Art Nouveau ...

Acid Etched and Cameo Glass Vase Émile Gallé Circa 1910 This exquisite Art Nouveau vase was crafted by the renowned Gallé in Nancy, France. Emblematic of Gallé's mastery, the vase’s...

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 the firm of Thomas Webb & Sons standing out as the most accomplished. Webb’s cameo...

Pair of Gilded Bronze Vases Christofle Circa 1930 This rare pair of Christofle bronze vases epitomizes the pinnacle of French decorative arts from t...

Gilt and Enamel Red Pillow Vase Moser Late 19th Century A masterpiece of artistry and craftsmanship, this exquisite Moser pillow vase dazzles with its rich ruby glass and intricate ...

Fairyland Lustre Pillar Vase Wedgwood Circa 1920 One of the earliest Fairyland Lustre motifs, this Pillar pattern vase by Wedgwood features the fantastical Isle of the Genii, popula...

Acid Etched Vase Daum Nancy Circa 1925 This rare and striking Art Deco vase by Daum Nancy represents the pinnacle of French craftsmanship. The spheri...

Fairyland Lustre Pillar Vase Wedgwood Circa 1920 One of the earliest Fairyland Lustre motifs, this Pillar pattern vase by Wedgwood features the fantastical Isle of the Genii, popula...

Pair of Porcelain and Dorè Bronze Vases Sèvres Circa 1845 With porcelain vessels in the iconic Sèvres cobalt blue, encased in lavish doré bronze armatures, this pair of Louis XVI-style urns epitomizes the masterful craftsmanship and refined beauty of the famed porcelain manufactory. Each urn is adorned with three finely chased caryatid figures joined by floral garlands, resting upon a reticulated circular gilt bronze base. Since its founding in the 18th century, the Sèvres porcelain manufactory has been synonymous with the finest porcelain wares. Established under the patronage of Louis XV and Madame de Pompadour, the firm quickly became the official royal porcelain producer. Throughout the 19th century, Sèvres expanded its repertoire, designing distinct vase forms that ranged from neoclassical grandeur to Gothic delicacy. These exceptional urns pay homage to Pierre Gouthière, one of the most renowned bronze artists of the preceding century. Appointed gilder to King Louis XV in 1767, Gouthière revolutionized metalwork, pioneering a gilding technique that achieved an exquisite matte finish. Similar caryatid figures appear on vases once owned by the Duke of Talleyrand, while similar mermaid motifs—prevalent in Gouthière’s work—can be found on a serpentine marble vase in the Louvre. These vases embody the grandeur of Louis XVI-style ornamentation, blending rich materials with impeccable detail. Each: 19 3/4 high x 13" diameter Marked under bronze Sèvres Louis Philippe...

Winter Landscape Vase Daum Nancy Circa 1920 This exquisite cameo vase by Daum Nancy, known as “Paysage d’Hiver” or "Winter Landscape," masterfully captures the serene beauty of wint...

Cameo Glass Polar Bear Vase Émile Gallé Circa 1927 This towering Art Nouveau vase stands as one of the finest achievements of Émile Gallé’s iconic gla...

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...

Pair of Black Basalt Sacred to Bacchus and Neptune Ewers Wedgwood Dated 1870 These extraordinary ewers are masterfully crafted in the renowned Sacred to Neptune and Sacred to Bacchu...

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...

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 ...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

A lovely Limoges enamel vase featuring a handsome gentleman in richly appointed period costume. Excellent condition. Circa 1900.

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...

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...

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...

Of all the glassworks created in the second half of the 19th century, the most difficult to perfect were those done in cameo. Very few artisans ever achieved success in hand-crafting...

This remarkable art glass Lava style vase is a part of Loetz’s Phaenomen Genre 377, the remarkable collection unveiled at the Paris World Exhibition of 1900. The Crete color variatio...

Of all the glassworks created in the second half of the 19th century, the most difficult to perfect were those done in cameo. Very few artisans ever achieved success in hand-crafting...

Henry Dasson used grey granite from the famed Aswan quarries in Egypt to craft this pair of rare and important urns. Aswan was the location from which ancient Egyptian builders quarried the rare granite used...

This extraordinary glass vessel hails from the illustrious Roman empire, likely from Italy, dating to the mid-1st to 2nd century CE. It is exceptionally rare to find such a large and...

This 18th-century gilt bronze & Egitto Serpentino urn is modeled after the opulent design of one of the last gilders of the Versailles Court, Pierre Gouthière. An identical urn is he...

Designed by René Lalique in 1921, this Ronces pattern vase features a bold array of winding blackberry vines. The vessel highlights the master's love of the striking forms and natura...

The bodies of this exquisite pair of Louis XVI-style cassolettes, along with a complementary clock, are crafted from exceptional specimens of white marble, each measuring almost a fo...

This remarkable acid-etched vase is the work of the famed Art Nouveau master Émile Gallé, one of the most highly regarded names in French glassmaking. The artist's love of nature is ...

Bearing a cipher mark from 1856, this mid-19th-century centerpiece stands as a crowning achievement of the esteemed firm Minton & Co. This accomplishment of such grand scale in ceram...

Iridescent swirls adorn this rare Candia Silberiris tree trunk vase from the renowned 19th-century art glass firm Loetz. Crafted in a sensuous, organic...

Blending natural wonder and artistic prowess, this magnificent pair of cassolettes is a symphony of craftsmanship. The intricate gilt bronze decor, only made possible by the finest c...

Abstracted foliate motifs swirl atop each other to form this Lalique vase in the Charmilles motif, first designed by René Lalique on October 8, 1926. Inspired by bowers under greener...

Impressive in size and dazzling in artistry, this rare Le Verre Français vase features Schneider Glassworks’ signature Art Deco Chardons design....

Exceptional in both size and artistry, this sand-polished cameo art glass vase from the famed Art Nouveau master Émile Gallé features an exceedingly rare alpine scene. The artist's l...

Exceptional in both size and artistry, this sand-polished cameo art glass vase is the work of the famed Art Nouveau master Émile Gallé, one of the most highly regarded names in Frenc...

This rare cameo glass vase by the French glassmaker Émile Gallé features an exceptional mold-blown design of a fruiting plum tree. While the majority of Gallé vases were blown into molds before being carved or enameled, only a very small handful were wholly designed to take shape within the mold. The stunning result is evident in this rare example, which showcases the ripe fruits protruding naturally from the body of the vase. Considered one of the pioneers of Art Nouveau, Gallé was renowned for his naturalistic glass artistry. In 1889, he displayed his new glass creations at the Paris International...

The bodies of this pair of Louis XVI-style vases, measuring nearly two feet in height, are formed from stunning specimens of white marble. Doré bronze mounts in the Louis XVI style p...

A cascade of pink blooms sit against an ombre ground in this enameled vase by Camille Fauré. Executed using his signature technique, the vase's copper form...

Vibrant yellows, pinks, golds and blues decorate this lovely Venetian marbled glass scent bottle. A chased gilt stopper completes the perfume. Late 19th century 1 3/4" wide x 3/4" ...

This remarkably exquisite cut glass vase was crafted by one of the oldest glassworks firms in the United States, Pairpoint. The elaborate cut-to-clear decoration is brilliantly cut from a striking bright red to clear in a meticulous geometric pattern. Established in 1880 in New Bedford, Massachusetts, the Pairpoint Manufacturing Company originally produced coffin fittings and metalwork. In 1894, Pairpoint merged with Mt. Washington Glassworks, resulting in an astounding creative output that included fantastic cut glass objet and lamp and lamp accessories, including both cut glass and the well-known Pairpoint blown glass lamps. Today, Pairpoint cut glass...

Timeless and elegant, this pair of Wedgwood fumigator jars is crafted of the firm’s signature jasperware. This pair of vessels showcases a striking deep blue hue, contrasting greatly...

This Daum Nancy acid-etched glass vase represents an exceptionally rare and particularly graceful model from the renowned French firm. The glassmakers of Daum Nancy have long been ce...

Drawing from the luxury of Sèvres Porcelain and Louis XV's famed bleu céleste service from Versailles, this elegant French porcelain vase features the trademark shade of blue and medallions revealing scenes of flora and fauna, including pheasants and swans. Adorned with gilt accents on the lip and body of the octagonal vase...

Crafted by the celebrated French glassmaker René Lalique, this enchanting Ceylan vase is molded from opalescent glass with a blue stained wheel. The design...

Crafted from a deep and vibrant red glass, this luminescent Favrile vase was made by the legendary Tiffany Studios. Of all the Favrile glass hues, red is ...

Fashioned of rare and precious griotte rouge marble and gilt bronze, these vases embody neoclassical elegance at its finest. Borrowing its forms a...

An exceptional avian motif graces this large glass vase by the revered Czech firm Moser. The raised enamel bird is matched well by the gilded amber glass. ...

This etched and gilt ruby glass vase celebrates the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth on May 12, 1937. The vase features remarkable details, including a crowned monogram, floral...

Delicate pink flowers seem to burst forth from this blue Limoges enameled vase by Camille Fauré, decorated with vibrant snapdragon motifs. Layers...

Delicate orange chrysanthemum flowers bloom in this enameled vase by Camille Fauré. Executed using his signature technique, the vase's copper form is cov...