Monumental Pair California Memory Ware Mosaic Floor Vases Pique Asiette 23"

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Authentic monumental matched pair of California memory ware mosaic floor vases constructed upon original Steiger Terra Cotta & Pottery Works … Read more Authentic monumental matched pair of California memory ware mosaic floor vases constructed upon original Steiger Terra Cotta & Pottery Works earthenware vessels. Measuring an impressive 23 inches in height, these exceptional folk art sculptures combine monumental architectural pottery with intricate handcrafted porcelain mosaic work dating to the early twentieth century.

Each vase is built upon a documented Steiger Terra Cotta base produced during the company's South San Francisco period, circa 1903–1918. The surfaces are completely covered with hundreds of individually selected antique ceramic fragments set within sculptural raised grout finished in a warm metallic gold tone. The richly textured mosaics incorporate Japanese export porcelains in Kutani- and Satsuma-style decoration, European transferware, blue-and-white porcelain, Victorian floral china, gilded cabinet wares, souvenir china including fragments marked "From Put-in-Bay," and other late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century ceramics.

Both vases feature applied three-dimensional porcelain cherub figures integrated into the mosaic composition, adding sculptural depth and reinforcing their handcrafted character. The substantial relief work creates an architectural surface rather than a simple decorative overlay, resulting in remarkable visual complexity from every angle.

The matching Steiger vessels strongly suggest they were acquired together and transformed by the same anonymous California folk artist. While the documented Steiger production period coincides with the rebuilding era following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, this historical context is presented solely as period attribution and not as documented provenance.

Offered only as a matched pair, these monumental works represent an outstanding example of early California memory ware, combining architectural pottery, folk art, and decorative sculpture into a highly distinctive statement suitable for advanced collections, period interiors, or gallery display. Both have original drain or wiring holes to be easily transformed into lamps.



Measurements (Each): 23" H x 15" W x 15" D

Weight: 35 lb each

Origin: United States

Age: Early 20th Century See less