Antique Wedgwood Portland Vase Dark Blue Jasper Dip Impressed c1820 50 16cm 2

An early-to-mid 19th-century Wedgwood copy of the celebrated Portland Vase, in dark blue jasper dip with white relief decoration, impressed WEDGWOOD to the base. The two-handled amphora form carries the famous continuous frieze of classical figures taken from the Roman cameo-glass original, with a bearded mask of Pan beneath each handle.

Josiah Wedgwood’s reproduction of the Barberini or Portland Vase, completed in 1790 after years of experiment, was regarded by him as the crowning achievement of his career, and the factory continued to produce the design in a range of sizes and colours throughout the 19th century. The impressed mark on this example reads WEDGWOOD alone, without the word ENGLAND, and the fine, translucent quality of the reliefs and the jasper dip body (a white jasper body dipped in blue slip, visible at the unglazed foot) are consistent with production in the first half of the 19th century, c.1820–1850.

The reliefs are well defined with good detail to the figures and foliage, and the blue is a deep, even shade.

Size: approximately 16cm high.

Condition: there is a small old repair to the foot rim, shown in the photographs and reflected in the price; otherwise no chips or cracks were found, with light surface grime and scuffing to the unglazed foot, as shown. A second, matching example of the same size is listed separately – please see our other items if you would like a pair.

Dispatch and packing. Sent from the UK, carefully packed. International buyers welcome – postage is calculated at checkout.