Topic: continental enamelled vase??

[Paul S.]

I know it looks as tho it shud be Uranium (it has that greyish/greenish look) - but the torch produces nothing.    The artistry is very naive and crude  -  so I'm won't dare to start guessing origins. However, I'm certain the fora and fauna are enamelled, as they are of some substantial thickness.   How are you fingernails Christine?       The base wear wud imply C19  -  no pontil mark, and just basically a flat base, so does this mean it was blown into a mould?
17 cmsl. tall, and about 8 cms at the widest.    Very grateful for any opinions please.          cheers           Paul S.

[Lustrousstone]

I would guess Bohemian 1890s though to 1930s. Yes mould blown, most of them are I think, even when they have a pontil mark. Yes, grey is sometimes uranium, although more often not. The painting is often crude, but that looks downright weird - poor birdy! Looks like it was painted by a townie who had seen neither birds nor flowering bushes

[dirk.]

the bird in the second picture almost looks like from a Hieronymus Bosch painting... 

[Ivo]

Bohemian enameled glass was usually painted on factory blanks in cottage industry. This means the quality of enameling varies enormously; children - even very young children - were set to decorate pieces, and the result can be atrocious.

[Paul S.]

thanks Chrisine, Dirk and Ivo  -  appreciate the technical input.   Hadn't thought of Bosch, but agree does remind me of something from The Garden of Earthly Delights thingy.
Probably because I'm sentimental, I think Ivo's comments give a more poignant history to the piece.    I can imagine a child, poor, and without education, being part of the family workforce - roped in to contribute some value to the group income, albeit small, and yet ironically leaving something to posterity which I can now treasure.  Perhaps the child decorated the vase with the aid of candle light, but probably to the best of its ability.    And what do I leave behind.........a carbon footprint.   
You say atrocious Ivo, but simple things created by children can often be appealing/innocent   -   although I understand your meaning that for us it wud have little commercial value.      Only my opinion, but I am convinced we are too mercenary, and are too quick to shove a monetary value on everything i.e. ebay.          However, think I shall now treasure the vase with greater affection.            Thanks and cheers             Paul S.

[TxSilver]

I have to throw in that I love your vase. I had the feeling that the painting was designed to look artsy -- to appeal to the more comic side of people. My first impression of the picture was that it looked like something that the Spanish or French (on a lighter day) would do. The flowers appear to be heavily enamelled -- always a good sign for a vase. The enamel appears to be well fired. I wish I could give a hint to where your vase might have been made. I have a feeling that your idea of continental is right It would be nice to be able to be more precise, but the enamelled pieces can be hard to pin down at times.

Anyway, I just wanted to say that your vase is delightful. It has real character. Who could help but smile when looking at it?

[Ron]

The bird in the second pic looks like a Kiwi bird to me:

http://www.tapirback.com/tapirgal/gifts/friends/birds/kiwi-bird-stuffed-f705.htm

[Paul S.]

thanks Anita  -  glad someone else likes it as well.         Must admit that the Kiwi angle did occur to me in the very beginning  -  but couldn't imagine a bird like that appearing on a C19 vase from Europe.     Looked at your attachment thanks, Ron, didn't realize that Kiwis had such big feet  -  looks like something from Sesame Street!!
But you are right  -  there is a striking resemblance.   cheers                Paul S.

[Cathy B]

If that's a kiwi, something must have frightened it really badly. It takes quite a bit to get them up a tree - a catapault, for instance. They're flightless.

Perhaps it's supposed to be some sort of fledgling?

[Paul S.]

thanks Cathy  -  you've tried, obviously.      shades of a mis-spent youth associating with too many rough boys I suppose
I'm not surprised they can't fly  -  with feet as big as Ron has given them!    cheers        Paul. S.