Antique Coalport Jewelled Cobalt Blue Porcelain Baluster Vase, 1880

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Raised gilt scrollwork and delicate white enamel jewelling encircle the deep cobalt blue ground of this Coalport porcelain vase. Styled … Read more Raised gilt scrollwork and delicate white enamel jewelling encircle the deep cobalt blue ground of this Coalport porcelain vase. Styled with a balanced ovoid body, the vessel tapers to an integrated pedestal foot and finishes with a widely flared trumpet neck, lined entirely in rich burnished gold. The intricate ornament is executed under pattern number A8425. Bands of stylised floral roundels and geometric beadwork border the shoulder, while the main body features symmetrical arabesques framing white jewelled enamel florets. This specialised jewelling technique, using raised drops of liquid enamel to imitate seed pearls and precious stones, was a hallmark of high-end English porcelain manufacture in the late nineteenth century. Produced in Shropshire, England, around 1880, the vase exemplifies Victorian decorative craftsmanship during a period of intense artistic experimentation. The underside bears the printed Coalport mark along with the painted pattern code. It is accompanied by provenance noting former display at the Coalport Museum. The palette relies on a striking contrast between the intense, high-gloss blue glaze and the warm tone of the raised gilding. Subtle stippling within the gilt foliage lends depth to the surface, complemented by the circular foot which is ringed with repeating leaf sprays and beaded drops. Measuring 11 cm in height by approximately 7 cm across the shoulder, the vase offers excellent display proportions for a collector of Victorian fine china. Both the jewelled beads and the expansive gilt borders remain sharply defined throughout. See less