Neo Victorian Hand Sculpted Belle Epoque Captive Bulb Vase by Michael W. Moses

 Today I am featuring a brand new work of ceramic art pottery that I call, the "Belle Epoque Captive Bulb Vase"  This is a piece that I can describe as being Neo Victorian.  This pieces is completely modern in manufacture and coloring, but has all of the exuberant qualities that also make it a high Victorian design. This type of work is so reminiscent of the lavish over the top creations that were being produced during the period that the French refer to as the Belle Epoque Era (1871-1914).

 

 This one of a kind hand modeled work of ceramic art pottery comprises 4 distinct pieces that I have assembled together into one bold artistic statement. I started out with a really great circa 1910 hand etched glass sugar bowl. I then made a small root system shaped bowl that fits into the bottom of the sugar bowl, Then hand sculpted a bulb vase to fit into the sugar bowl, over top of the small root shaped bowl to create a small covered box like area. I then perched a lively little alien creature upon the side of the bulb vase. Once it had been fired, I meticulously painted all the details, glazed, then refired.  I added a vintage silver tone costume jewelry quality chain and two vintage red aurora borealis rhinestones for the happy little creatures eyes.

The Belle Epoque Captive Bulb Vase is basically a hand sculpted bulb vase that one can use for flowers and that has a small place where one can hide a ring, a few gold coins, or a small precious note. That is attached to a beautiful antique sugar bowl with a chain.

Just to let you know, if you do not know, The chain is added to keep the bulb vase with its sugar bowl home.  These bulb vases can get a little on the wild side sometimes and one will need to keep it chained so that it does not escape into the wild.

An image of what it looked like just after I had pained it and just before it was glazed.




 This work is available

Meissen Putto Figurine Stolen from South Coast Antiques, Ocean Springs, MS

Today when I went into the shop I had a surprise waiting for me. I was opening up and I noticed a small aesthetic movement bowl that I had sitting out on a counter toward the back of the shop was missing. I called my business partner  and asked him if he had moved it somewhere and he said that he had not. He said that he would be in straight away. I looked around the shop to see if some one had maybe picked it up and sit it some where else in the shop. I was absolutely stunned to find out that the person that apparently took the dish had also opened one of our cases that was not locked and taken my little Meissen Putto making chocolate figurine. I have had this little Meissen treasure for a number of years now and it was one of my all time favorite figurines. I have frequently used it as a teaching aid to show people what a high quality porcelain figurine is supposed to look like. Every so often someone will bring in some type of imitation figurine stating that their grand mother received it from their grand mother and that it is Meissen. I was able to show them this piece and they could easily see what I was talking about. I just can not imagine what kind of person would do such a thing. I could go into a rant and rave session at this point, but there is no real reason to do so. It is gone and I will never see it again. If by any chance anyone out there looking at this blog knows its whereabouts please contact us.