Vase - Stoneware - Chinoiserie stoneware vase

Very beautiful antique vase, from the 1920s-1940s, possibly mid-30s. Unmarked, in fine-grain biscuit stoneware (or possibly porcelain), in a style blending Art Nouveau and chinoiserie. Handcrafted, wheel-thrown, stamped and hand-painted, with glaze only on the interior. Amphora-like ovoid shape resting on a small slightly elevated round base, narrowed neck and flared lip, equipped with two double handles in the spirit of Art Nouveau/Art Deco. Exterior unglazed, matte beige biscuit texture, cobalt blue Payne-lustre-like borders and floral and geometric motifs inspired by Chinese patterns, some areas resembling a paisley motif, filled in with gray/black on the petals and leaves, borders and handles painted in black. Interior glazed in metallized brown-black, recalling certain Belgian productions from the interwar period; the shape of the handles, the material and the technique suggest European manufacture. The chinoiserie decoration is misleading here; it is very likely not an Asian production. This vase did not come from mass industrial or semi-industrial production: a slight deformation of the lip highlights a manual shaping. An unusual and rare object, very decorative, probably from Belgian, French, or Dutch production.

Height 25.5 cm, width 21 cm across the handles, maximum diameter 15–16 cm, neck diameter 10 cm, weight about 1 kg. In perfect condition, nothing notable, a few small discreet stains, interior use evident but not markedly so.