Vase - Art Deco ear vase • taupe terracotta • white slip-decor of waves and scales • Belgium • ca. - Stoneware

A white slip relief on glaze lies softly in relief on the glaze, the cobalt blue scale contour embedded in it. The classical Greek meander reads as a moving sea, the scales as Japanese seigaiha waves: together a maritime Art Deco ensemble. The sprayed taupe glaze is smooth yet finely granular, with terracotta neck, ears and foot. The decoration runs around: this two-handled vase stands freely on the table.

Description:
An ovoid body of stoneware with a short neck, two flat-band handles above the rim, and a four-lobed foot. The sprayed glaze is smooth yet somewhat granular, with fine white specks; the neck, ears and foot are terracotta. The decoration lies in layers: cobalt blue contours and other colors in the glaze, the white slip decoration lightly raised on top. Under the rim a row of pearls, then the meander, underneath scales with half-moons in terracotta and white. Red-fired, well-baked shard; with a tap the vase sounds bright and dry. Base: indented 81 with a 1 underneath. Not made on the wheel, presumably formed in a mould: no turning marks, a uniform wall of about 5 mm.

About the maker:
Belgian ateliers and factories produced moulded ceramics with sprayed glaze in the Art Deco years; an indented number as the only attribution appears there. This vase fits into that Belgian tradition.

In the interior:
On a light cabinet opposite the window, the terracotta in daylight is the warm focal point of a cool room.

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Condition:
Good. Body, neck and ears: no flaking or hairline cracks, no restoration visible in daylight. Foot, inner rim: a small glaze flake where the terracotta shard is visible. Base: white lime deposits, no damage. Specks and light grain in the glaze are production-related. The dark, glossy inner glaze may contain lead: not suitable for food use. See the photos.

In a glance:
Material: stoneware, sprayed glaze, slip-decor in light relief
Dimensions and weight: h 19 x w 15 x d 11 cm, 850 g
Brand: without factory mark; indented number 81 with a 1 underneath
Dating: ca. 1930–1940s, indicative of the Art Deco form language
Provenance: private collection; Belgian (attrib.)

Description and sources:
Most likely Belgian: factory- or atelier-made in series within the Art Deco tradition. The grounds: an indented form number 81 with a 1 underneath without a factory mark, as Belgian bases know it, and a red-fired, well-baked shard. Additionally a body without turning marks and the Art Deco form language. The numbering and foot shape reflect the trade experience of Decaders Gallery with Belgian vases.

Shipping:
Professionally packed in a sturdy box with cushioning material, for fragile objects a double box. Always insured with Track and Trace. More than 1,100 reviews from previous buyers; see the feedback.