Alton Ware Hand-Painted Black Vase with Bird & Water Lilies – England, 1930s

Some vases sit on a shelf and look pretty. This one sits on a shelf and makes everyone in the room feel slightly underdressed. This is an Alton Ware hand-painted porcelain vase from England, circa 1930s — and it has opinions.

The jet-black ground is the kind of dramatic backdrop that only the 1930s could pull off without irony. On the front, a beautifully painted sparrow hovers above a pond scene with white water lilies and golden reed grasses — all rendered with the kind of confident brushwork that makes you realise someone spent a very long time getting this exactly right. The reverse features an elegant spray of golden bamboo leaves, gilded with the same warm gold that adorns the scrolled handles and domed lid.

Speaking of the gold: yes, the handles and lid show wear — the gilding has faded and rubbed in places, as you'd expect from a piece that's been living its best life for nearly a century. The body of the vase, however, is in excellent condition. The painting is crisp, the black glaze is rich and glossy, and the overall presence of this piece is frankly enormous for something 44 centimetres tall.

Marked on the base: Hand Painted Ware and Made in England, with the model number 1051. Classic Alton Ware.

Maker: Alton Ware, England
Dimensions: 44 x 20 cm
Weight: 1,651 grams
Material: Porcelain, hand-painted
Colour: Black with polychrome bird scene and gold decoration
Origin: England
Year: circa 1930s
Condition: Very good — gilding on handles and lid worn, body and painting in excellent condition

A century of good taste, delivered in one very confident vase.

NOTE: The sparrow on the front has been judging your interior choices since 1930. It has seen things. It is not impressed by IKEA. Maison de L'oro takes no responsibility for any existential crises triggered by prolonged eye contact with this bird.