A significant piece of American Art Pottery from the Rookwood Pottery Company of Cincinnati, Ohio.  Known as "Limoges Style".  Dated 1885 and signed in block letters "ROOKWOOD", one year before they changed to the backwards RP Flame mark.  Signed by the artist "M.A.D" (Matthew A. Dailey), one of Rookwood's foremost decorators.  The vase is 13" tall by 6" diameter, and weighs just under three pounds.  It is decorated all the way around with pine branches and birds in flight.  Please look closely at the last two photos -- there might be the slightest of a slightest start to an extremely faint hairline on the top rim, circled in the last photo.  We have looked at it under a black light and under a ten power magnifying glass, and we just can't tell if this is the start of a hairline or just part of the normal crazing.  It is not visible on the underside of the rim.