Item Overview
- Type: Vintage Art Deco Modernist Handled Vase
- Designer / Artist: John Beswick Studio Patternmaker
- Brand: Beswick Ware
- Manufacturer: John Beswick Ltd (Gold Street Works, Longton, Staffordshire)
- MPN: Shape 190
- Place of Origin: England, United Kingdom
- Style: Art Deco / Modernist / 1930s Chimney Vase
- Colour: Earthy Ochre Tan Base (With a Mottled Matt Slate Blue and Cream Drip Overglaze)
- Design Era: Art Deco Era (Issued c. 1930s)
- Material: Fine English Earthenware / Studio Pottery
- Set Includes: Single (1) One-Piece Asymmetric Vase
- Features: Horizontally Ribbed Top Flank, Stylized Geometric Handles, Impressed Shape Number & Backstamp
- Condition: Excellent Vintage Condition
- Size & Capacity: Stands approximately 7.5 inches tall (approx. 19.0cm) with a substantial 740g item weight.
Dating & Historical Context
- Dating: This architectural vase dates strictly to the high Art Deco period of the 1930s. The clear, blocky impressed shape designation "190" paired with the serifed "MADE IN ENGLAND" alignment on the unglazed pottery base is the definitive diagnostic marker for Beswick’s highly collectible interwar art ware series.
- Historical Note: Long before achieving fame for their ceramic animal models, the Beswick factory in Staffordshire was a powerhouse of British avant-garde modernism. During the 1930s, their studio designers broke away from traditional Victorian floral patterns to experiment with bold, industrial geometry. Known to collectors as a "chimney" or "vent" vase, shape 190 utilizes a striking asymmetric handle balance that acts as a perfect structural backdrop for their specialized matt drip glazes. These glazes were applied using a layered stippling technique, allowing the colours to melt organically down the clay body during firing so that no two pieces emerged identical.
Description
A spectacular triumph of British Art Deco styling, this vintage Beswick Ware shape 190 vase makes an exceptional statement piece for any mid-century ceramic collection or interior display. The design features a beautifully flared, bell-shaped base that transitions effortlessly into a horizontally ribbed, multi-tiered upper tower. This architectural column is flanked by two wonderfully stylized, uneven geometric loop handles that lend the piece a striking asymmetric silhouette. Wrapped in a sophisticated semi-matte drip glaze, the top sections showcase a mottled blend of cream and soft slate-blue which cascades organically into a rich, natural ochre-tan lower body.
Expert Identification & Design Features:
- Staffordshire Pottery Pedigree: Bears the genuine, deep-set impressed "190" mould number and country of origin mark on the base, certifying its authentic John Beswick lineage.
- Modernist Geometric Silhouette: The contrasting handle heights and stepped ribbing capture the bold, machine-age architectural lines of the 1930s design movement.
- Organic Drip Glaze Contrast: The flowing, fluid nature of the matte overglaze forms a beautiful tactile contrast against the crisp, horizontal structural bands.
Condition Report
This Art Deco vase is in excellent vintage condition, demonstrating premier collector preservation. The earthenware body is structurally solid and intact, showing absolutely no chips, fleabites, hairline fractures, or historic restorations along the delicate rim or handles. The semi-matte glaze remains beautifully uniform and smooth, entirely free from the heavy crazing, clouding, or surface scratching common to porous interwar ceramics. The unglazed underside foot ring is clean and stable.
Shipping & Logistics
- Domestic Shipping: FREE UK TRACKED DELIVERY.
- International Shipping: We proudly ship worldwide via eBay International Shipping (eIS), featuring built-in payout and return protections for global buyers.
- Packaging: The vase is securely double-wrapped in thick bubble cushioning, packed with form-fitting anti-crush blocks, and nested inside a rigid outer box to completely insulate the delicate pottery handles and base during transit.
- Dispatch: Order before 12:00pm and we ship same day.
Returns & Payment Policies
We want you to be delighted with your heritage find.
- Not as Described: In the unlikely event of an error in our listing, we will provide a full refund and cover the return postage costs.
- Change of Mind: We accept returns within 30 days; however, in these instances, the buyer is responsible for the return shipping costs.
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