Antique Carl Knoll Karlsbad Art Nouveau Hand-Painted Porcelain Iris Vase, Bohemia, Circa 1900

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An exceptional and highly stylized Art Nouveau (Jugendstil) porcelain vase, manufactured circa 1900 by the Karlsbader Porzellanfabrik Carl Knoll in … Read more An exceptional and highly stylized Art Nouveau (Jugendstil) porcelain vase, manufactured circa 1900 by the Karlsbader Porzellanfabrik Carl Knoll in Fischern (Rybáře), Bohemia, now part of Karlovy Vary in the Czech Republic.

The 10-inch vase has a dramatic organic silhouette characteristic of European Art Nouveau design. Its porcelain body is decorated in rich tones of deep cobalt, teal blue-green, and turquoise, with hand-painted yellow and blue irises accented in gilt.

Particularly striking is the elaborate asymmetrical relief decoration. Sculpted porcelain handles, scrolling stems, and an undulating rim create the fluid whiplash lines associated with the Jugendstil movement, while raised gilt details continue into the modeled organic base.

The underside bears the crowned CK factory mark with “Karlsbad / Austria,” identifying the piece with Carl Knoll’s Karlsbad porcelain works.

A distinctive example of turn-of-the-century Bohemian Art Nouveau porcelain with strong sculptural presence. See less