This is an eye-catching large Art Nouveau Art Pottery vase made by Bretby Pottery in 1900. This Clanta vase is made of ceramic but is decorated with matt and lustre metallic glazes to make the vase look as if it had been made of old copper or bronze.
This type of pottery was called a Copperette by Bretby.
The company was founded by Henry Tooth and William Ault in Woodville, Derbyshire. It often used used the trade names Wescontree Ware and Candy Ware. The famous sunburst trade mark was registered in 1884 (as on the bottom of this vase). The partnership was dissolved in January 1887. The Bretby Art Pottery was very successful and was sold on several times during its history until it finally closed its doors in 1996. The Arts and Crafts style building still stands at Woodville which was the Bretby art pottery showroom and attempts are being made to restore it.
This is an exceptionally tall vase. It is 13 3/4 inches in height. From handle to handle it is 8 1/4 inches. It is marked on the base with the sunburst mark and the model no. 1589. And the word: England.
My vase is a fabulous organic shape - very much in the Art Nouveau or Jugendstil style. It has double loop handles at the top - these are decorative and have a metallic glaze. On the front and the front are two large inverted Ruskin style heart cabochons or bosses (they are slightly different in shades). They have mock rivets to increased the trompe l'oeil effect. There are more serpentine decorative bands on the base - complete with two lighter coloured round cabochons.
My Bretby vase is in a rarer large size and in excellent antique condition - these are now very hard to source. This is reflected in my asking price.
This early Bretby pieces are much sought after with prices starting to rise quite dramatically.
The to its size and weight - I will only be able to post to you in the UK. I will carefully pack and send with Parcelforce 24. I will cap your postage costs at just over £10.