Rare 1994 Carolyn Barlock Fine Porcelain "Bacchus" Wine Chalices - Numbered Set of 4

Details

Description

A rare, museum-quality acquisition opportunity for collectors of fine studio ceramic art. This is a verified, numbered set of four … Read more A rare, museum-quality acquisition opportunity for collectors of fine studio ceramic art. This is a verified, numbered set of four contemporary porcelain wine chalices from acclaimed American ceramicist Carolyn Barlock. Handcrafted in 1994, this spectacular "Bacchus" series is a completely sold-out edition of only 8 sets ever produced, featuring different vibrant, jewel-toned colorways sharing a matching classical grape form.

Each chalice is meticulously wheel-thrown from fine white porcelain and finished using Barlock's legendary multi-firing processes. The brilliant, light-catching bodies—comprising deep amethyst purple, royal cobalt blue, crimson ruby red, and rich teal blue—are achieved via historic 9th-century Baghdad Persian lusters formulated from ground natural gemstones. The bodies are heavily encrusted in brilliant 22-Karat Florentine Gold overglaze, fired dozens of times in the kiln to achieve a deep, radiant metallic glow. The gold bands feature an intricate, hand-chiseled architectural castellated border along the top and delicate beaded details around the flared pedestal bases.

The underside of each goblet is hand-signed by the artist, inscribed with the series numeral "XII", and individually registered from the highly exclusive, limited run of eight (numbered 2/8, 3/8, 6/8, and 8/8). I have corresponded with Carolyn herself, she only has one other set of wine glasses available, currently retailing through the Broadmoor Gallery for $7,200 (set of 6). This set represents an incredibly rare opportunity to own a piece of Barlock's mid-90s history. See less