PAIR OF LARGE PORCELAIN VASES WITH A "VALENTINE BLUE" BASE

An important pair of baluster-shaped porcelain vases with tall necks, dating from the Napoleon III period. The cobalt blue ground, known as "Valentine's Blue," highlights a large cartouche of polychrome bouquets unfolding within a white oval reserve. Each reserve is framed by a stylized lacework of gold threads. The back is decorated with garlands of flowers in a grotesque style, and the neck of each vase is also embellished with gold, featuring knotted motifs, interlacing patterns, and acanthus leaves. The fine execution of the gilding is remarkable for its translucent effects. The interior of the necks is also decorated with gold threads in scrolling foliage.

This type of vase from the Napoleon III period can be linked to the Valentine factory, a porcelain factory established in 1832 in the south of France.

Circa: 1870

Base dimensions: 18cm x 18cm (7.09 in x 7.09 in)

Condition report: In good overall condition. Slight wear to the gilding. Natural firing flaw at the base.

The Valentine Factory (1832-1878)

Founded in Toulouse by former potters from Moustiers-Sainte-Marie in the early 19th century in Valentine, the factory produced porcelain distinguished by its highly lustrous cobalt blue glaze and floral bouquet motifs adorned with gold trim. Their craftsmanship was so precise and the floral decorations so remarkably executed that the factory received top prizes from the Duke of Orléans at the 1937 Paris International Exposition.