1995 R. Foster Holcombe Signed Gold Iridescent Jack-in-the-Pulpit Art Glass Vase

Details

Description

Golden iridescence and a sweeping botanical silhouette distinguish this signed 1995 Jack-in-the-Pulpit vase by American glass artist R. Foster Holcombe, … Read more Golden iridescence and a sweeping botanical silhouette distinguish this signed 1995 Jack-in-the-Pulpit vase by American glass artist R. Foster Holcombe, founder of Maryland’s Art of Fire Contemporary Glass Studio.

The broad, flowerlike hood rises into a pointed crest before curling forward into a gently downturned lip. Raised spiral ribs travel through the elongated, tapering body, opening into rounded flutes beneath the hood. A petal-lobed foot completes the composition, echoing the organic character of the upper form.

Amber-gold glass reveals flashes of rose, violet, turquoise, and green as the light and viewing angle change. The interplay of reflective color and sculptural contours gives the vase a presence that rewards viewing from every side. At approximately 10 inches tall, it is beautifully proportioned for a mantel, illuminated cabinet, console, or collection of American studio glass.

The Artist and Studio

R. Foster Holcombe’s career in glass began in 1976 with a stained-glass studio in Denver, Colorado. A 1978 enameling seminar at Pilchuck sparked his interest in hot glass, leading him to study glassblowing, decorating, and glass technology in Stourbridge, England, during 1980–1981.

Art of Fire traces its beginnings to 1984 at the Maryland Renaissance Festival in Crownsville. Holcombe and Theda Hansen subsequently established a gallery and hot shop at Historic Savage Mill, later relocating the studio to a converted dairy barn in northern Montgomery County in 1999.

Over the following decades, the studio became a setting for glassmaking, demonstrations, teaching, and the development of younger artists. Holcombe’s career is documented by the Maryland State Arts Council, and Art of Fire has been featured by American craft galleries and publications. His work belonged to a studio practice that combined traditional glassworking knowledge with expressive contemporary forms.

Dated 1995, this vase represents Holcombe’s established Maryland studio years, before Art of Fire’s 1999 relocation.

Design and Craftsmanship

The Jack-in-the-Pulpit form translates a botanical subject into an expressive glass vessel. Here, the raised crest, folded lip, twisting body, and rounded foot create a unified composition with the flowing character associated with Art Nouveau design.

Holcombe’s documented studio practice emphasized free-blown, offhand glassworking. This vase’s sculpturally shaped hood and pronounced ribbing give the glass both movement and texture, while its iridescence accentuates the changing contours. The underside retains a central pontil scar associated with the glassworking process.

An unusual design seldom encountered in our research, it offers a distinctive combination of botanical form, luminous color, and a documented American maker.

Artist’s Family Heritage

Holcombe also had a documented family connection to American decorative-arts history. The Martin House’s 2024 annual report identifies him as the great-grandson of Darwin D. Martin and records the donation of a Martin-family Tiffany Studios floor lamp from Holcombe’s estate through his widow, Theda Hansen.

This connection adds interest to the artist’s biography. It does not establish Martin-family ownership of this vase or a direct Tiffany association with its manufacture.

Signature and Provenance

The underside bears the incised signature “R. Foster,” the date “95,” and an additional enclosed symbol.

Acquired from an estate collection, where the vase was cataloged as a signed R. Foster Holcombe Jack-in-the-Pulpit vase. Earlier ownership history has not been established.

Its signed and dated base, distinctive form, and richly iridescent surface make it an appealing addition for collectors of American studio glass and interiors that celebrate sculptural decorative objects. See less