Mason's Ironstone Japan-Pattern Vases - A Pair

Details

Description

Imari Grandeur: Mason's Ironstone Japan-Pattern Vases

Object: Pair of Decorative Vases
Origin: Mason's Ironstone, Staffordshire, England
Date: Circa 1830–1840
Medium: … Read more Imari Grandeur: Mason's Ironstone Japan-Pattern Vases

Object: Pair of Decorative Vases
Origin: Mason's Ironstone, Staffordshire, England
Date: Circa 1830–1840
Medium: Ironstone Earthenware, Hand-enameled and Gilt

Dimensions: Height: 7 1/2 inches (19.05 cm).

This magnificent pair of vases perfectly embodies the English fascination with Asian aesthetics during the Regency and early Victorian eras. Crafted from Mason’s Ironstone—a durable earthenware patented by Charles James Mason in $1813$—the vases mimic the heavy, opulent look of porcelain while boasting superior strength.

Design and the Japan Pattern

The decoration is executed in a vivid Imari palette, known in England as the Japan pattern. This style is characterized by a distinctive combination of cobalt blue, iron red, and copious gilding, often accented here with bright turquoise. The primary color fields are striking: the base features a deep mazarine blue ground highlighted with gilt scrollwork, while the neck is decorated with Chinoiserie flowers and trees against a green ground.

The overall form is highly sculptural, featuring strong, ornamental scroll handles and a baluster body designed to be shown as part of a mantel garniture (a set of three or five vases). The vibrant, clashing colors and bold patterns appealed directly to the maximalist tastes of the period.

Historical Context: The Ironstone Revolution

Mason’s patent revolutionized the English ceramics industry by providing a strong, inexpensive, white body capable of holding vibrant, colorful decoration. The durability of Ironstone made it instantly popular for both dinnerware and decorative pieces like these vases. The continued popularity of the Japan pattern throughout the 1830s and 1840s highlights the enduring influence of Chinese and Japanese Export porcelain on British manufacturing and interior décor.

References

Godden, Geoffrey A.: Godden's Guide to Mason's China and The Ironstone Wares (Page 131, plate 168 for a tureen featuring the identical pattern).

Copeland, Robert: Spode's Willow Pattern and Other Designs After the Chinese (General context on the popularity and transmission of Asian patterns, including the Imari style, in British potteries).

Collection Focus: Major decorative arts museums, such as the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), hold extensive collections of Mason's Ironstone, often displaying similar Japan pattern vases as examples of early 19th-century English ornamental pottery.

(Ref: NY4356/mrr) See less