Featured A magnificent pair of flower vases

I found this beautiful set of flower vases at my grandma attic, they had been there stored for over one hundred years.

I would love to know more about them.

VASE 1:



VASE 2:



SIGNATURE:



Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

Majolica by the look of them. Those are Italian Renaissance musicians, not that it means the vases are Italian. The flowers look very much in the late 19th C style, as does the whole vase. That whole Rossetti, Burne Jones thing.

Quite possibly English. Let me go dig on that decorator's mark. Lovely quality modelling.

 

Hi,
They are really quite lovely!!!
greg

 

Ownedbybear, thank you so much for the time you took to look at them and the information you provided me, I really appreciate it!

Anything else you can tell me about them would be great.

 

Are you asking about the vases or the figurines, and which bottom are you showing? I confuse easily. The figurines could be majolica, but I don't think the vases are.

 

The figurines are attached to the vases. I agree the vases themselves aren't majolica, they're nicely hand painted.

 

I would never have guessed they were attached!

 

The nude fellas with the nets on the bases are confusing. The statues and decoration look English to me, but these guys seem coarser. They are lovely vases ...

 

I have been a collector of Italian ceramics for forty years and I must say that I was very excited to see your photos. You have a wonderful pair of vases by Narcisco Umberto Bonato. He was born in the town of Angarano, near the famous ceramics producing town of Bassano in the Veneto region of northern Italy, not far from Venice. Narcisco’s father, Gaetano Bonato, in a partnership, established the studio of “Bonato e Campagni” in 1883. In 1908 Narcisco's father passed away and Narcisco inherited the business. Family members continued to operate the company until it was forced to close in the late 1990’s.
The GB logo, with star above the initials, were used only by Gaetano and Narcisco. When Narcisco passed the company on to his son, Bruno, the star was replaced by an arrow and over the years there had been a number of style changes to the trademark. I noticed that the vases were not marked “Made In Italy” as was required by law. This is an indication that the pieces were not meant for export so perhaps they were purchased directly at the Bonato shop by one of your family members visiting the country in the early 20th century.
The decoration on these two vases definitely indicates that they were made during the Art Deco period. The style established itself in Italy in the early 1920’s and was wildly popular with Italians.
As I said I was truly excited to see these vases and after four decades of collecting it takes a great deal to stir my soul. Do not, however, imagine stuffing your piggy bank with hundred dollar bills as you post these in some internet auction. Before this moment you probably never heard the name Bonato before. Well, neither have most Americans or English. Therefore the English speaking population is most likely not to offer a premium for any object bearing the “GB” mark. It may, however sell well based strictly on its artistry. All I can say is that I am certainly jealous.

 

Once again Walter.........you da man !!
Thanks for the education...

 

Walter is ace.

Walter, do you think Deco? I'd have said the flowers and the use of the Renaissance images were Nouveau. They're very like late 19th stuff here.

 

Ownedbybear is correct. The style is Art Nouveau, not Deco. In Italy the movement was known as “Stile Liberty” (Liberty Style). The movement’s name was changed on the Italian peninsula because after Napoleon conquered much of the country in the 18th century all things French were considered an anathema. The style was renamed to honor Arthur Liberty, founder of "Liberty of London” a major department store in England. Liberty was a proponent of Nouveau and he befriended almost all of the major Italian ceramists working in the new style. and great deal of the purchased a great deal of the Italian ceramics. Sometimes the decorative style is referred to as “Stile Floreale" (Floral Style).

 

Beautiful and Lovely Vases!!!!!

 

I have no words to thank you for this, it was an absolute pleasure to read your input. Knowing about the background and the Artist of this family antique is priceless for me!

Just as a side note, I am not planning to selling it at all, just wanted to know about it, since is part of my family and part of who am I. Thank you again Sir.

 

I have no words to thank you for this, it was an absolute pleasure to read your input. Knowing about the background and the Artist of this family antique is priceless for me!

Just as a side note, I am not planning to selling it at all, just wanted to know about it, since is part of my family and part of who am I. Thank you again Sir.

As you might be able to tell by the comments above, we all hold Walter in very high regard when it comes to Italian ceramics. He literally wrote the book on pieces such as the ones shown in the above photos.

If I were you, & these pieces were to stay in the family, I would print out his explanation above than tape it to the inside of the vases for future generations. JMHO

 

I think you may consider selling them to Walter....seeing as how you're 107 years old.

 

The facial modelling is superb on those.