Early Ceramic Arts Co American Belleek Handled Vase

It is very thinly cast in translucent white porcelain. The form is a squat gourd shape derived from Japanese porcelain. The vase has tow gilded strap handles and a deeply scalloped rim at the mouth.

The exterior is covered in an ivory tint, other which are painted exuberant bunches of roses around which buzz four beautifully-painted bees. The edges of the petals and leaves are outlined in raised gold, which makes it absolutely certain the decoration was done by CAC at their factory.

Overall, the form, style and decorative treatment of the piece is very close to Worcester's Blush Ivory line. The fashion for this sort of ware was quite brief, and American examples are quite uncommon.

The vase is 7.75" tall and about 7.5" in diameter. It's 3.375" in diameter at the foot.

Condition: a touch of light wear to the gilding at the base of the handles, and a minute glaze chip to the rim deep inside one of the scallops. It can only bee seen under very close examination and could be very easy rendered invisible by a restorer. Otherwise fine.

Mark: pink CAC palette mark on the bottom (Eng mark #4), which dates the piece to between 1889 and 1906. The unique decoration of the piece suggests, as I mentioned, a tighter dating range, more along the lines of somewhere between 1889 and 1895 at the absolute latest.

Item ID: 3322