c. 1880 Victorian Encrusted Bisque Porcelain Hand Cornucopia Spill Vase For Sale

Up for sale is a rare and flawless Antique c. 1880 Victorian Flower-Encrusted Bisque Porcelain Hand Cornucopia Vase.

This spectacular, late 19th-century figural vase represents the height of Victorian romanticism . It features a beautifully sculpted hand rising from a ruffled base to grasp an ornate horn-of-plenty vessel. Originally used as a mantelpiece spill vase, it serves today as a highly collectible and elegant decorative statement piece.

📐 Design Highlights & Features:

Hand-Encrusted Artistry: The front of the horn is densely packed with meticulous, entirely hand-molded 3D porcelain flower blossoms and foliage. Because these details were sculpted one by one from wet clay paste, no two of these artisanal pieces are exactly alike.

Intelligent Accent Glazing: While the main body and flowers are a soft, elegant matte bisque porcelain, the artisan selectively applied a high-gloss glaze exclusively to the interior and the molded base bow to beautifully mimic a shimmering silk ribbon.

Historical Markings: The underside of the base features an incised mold/shape number "33" pressed directly into the clay, alongside a hand-painted green decorator's mark reading "23."

Origin & Craftsmanship:

This authentic 19th-century Victorian spill vase features an incredibly lightweight, fine hard-paste porcelain body with stunning translucent properties when held to the light. It was manufactured in a premier European porcelain house, most likely within the famous Thuringia region of Germany (such as Conta & Boehme or Gebrüder Heubach) or a Vieux Paris (Old Paris) factory in France. The underside features the master potter's elegant, handwritten incised factory mold shape number 33 alongside a hand-painted teal/green artist decorator mark 29. used for production tracking

A magnificent late-Victorian piece crafted in the luxurious French Vieux Paris style, likely produced by an elite German Thuringian porcelain manufacturer for the European export market

🔍 Condition Report:

Excellent, pristine antique condition. There are absolutely no chips, cracks, structural damage, or repairs to the fragile hand, horn, or the delicate 3D encrusted petals. It exhibits only minor, expected age-related thinning to the gold gilded trim along the glossy base bow. A truly remarkable survivor. See pics.

Dimensions:

8.5”inches tall

5”inches wide at the base

A Rare, Museum-Quality Survivor:

Finding an authentic 19th-century hard-paste porcelain spill vase in this pristine condition is incredibly rare. Because these delicate bisque pieces were used daily next to open fireplaces to hold tapers and spills, the vast majority were broken, heavily stained by smoke, or suffered severe chipping to the raised flower petals over the last 130+ years. Furthermore, this piece is an exceptionally early and scarce casting—as proven by the master potter’s low, handwritten incised mold shape number 33 on the base. To find a true, ultra-lightweight translucent Victorian hand vase completely intact with zero damage is an absolute anomaly for serious collectors."

This piece will be meticulously packed with professional-grade cushioning to ensure it arrives safely at your home. Offers welcome!