The Killer Mobile Device for Victorian Women
If These Shirts Could Talk: The Tantalizing Tales Behind Used Clothes
Gloriously Grotesque 19th-Century Pipes
In the Hot Seat: Is Your Antique Windsor a Fake?
Bizarro Beauty Products, from 1889 to Now
Love at First Kite: How Pizza and Pente Led to One Oklahoman's High-Flying Obsession
Pin-Up Queens: Three Female Artists Who Shaped the American Dream Girl
Say Ahhh: An Oral Surgeon's Quest to Reimagine the Garage-Band Guitar
Tokens for Sweethearts, in Times of War
American Picker Dream, Part I: Mike Wolfe On His Love Affair With Bikes
Posted 1 year ago
AmphoraPot…
(21 items)
Eastern Dragon by Amphora
Bohemia, circa 1900
17"
When I began collecting Amphora the Eastern Dragon was on my wish list. I love how the vase is a prop for this devil, like he just landed and wrapped himself around it while surveying the next village to scorch. You can see him and another in the Amphora video on YouTube. Search for "Amphora Pottery" to watch it. By the way, I realize that he might be a she. I would never presume that only guys have all the fun scorching villages.
By the late 1800s pottery was finally getting recognition as something more than a functional object. Art Nouveau's adventurous designs must have made it easy to get excited about it, so people no doubt were buying Amphora solely to decorate. Nevertheless, you know somebody was sticking flowers in some of these. How humiliated the dragon must have been with daffodils drooping over him (or her).
Amphora made the Eastern Dragon for display at the 1900 Exposition Universelle in Paris, the world's fair that brought the Art Nouveau style to a worldwide audience. Amphora won a gold medal at the Exposition. They also made a 14 inch version of this design. The Eastern Dragons come in variety of colorful glazes.
European Art PotteryFor centuries, art pottery and fine porcelain pieces have been a European s…
Art Nouveau Art PotteryClay was the perfect medium for the Art Nouveau aesthetic. Its malleable or…
Awe inspiring. Were the actual 1900 Expo pieces marked in a different way from standard production?
There are elements here not found on those Meiji bronzes: the maternal, the sexual and the skill of the potter/decorator ..... you've done it again, AP!
Beautiful, dark, menacing, brooding,......and I can feel the 'maternal' that Vetraio mentioned.
I think it's magnificent.
very beautiful and very stunning vase:) wow what a true piece of art:)
Now that is one Stunning Vase. Very nice History that goes along it. Love it!!
Cogito, regarding this particular Amphora form Byron Vreeland (author of the Amphora book Monsters & Maidens: Collector's Edition) says in his book that some have the Paris 1900 mark, which Amphora used on a number of forms that must have been present at the Exposition Universelle. However, when noting the marks for each of the many Eastern Dragons pictured in his book, he doesn't mention the Paris mark for any of them. The pair of Eastern Dragons in Scott's book (Ceramics from the House of Amphora) don't have the Paris mark, and mine does not have this mark. So you would have to ask Byron if any truly have the Paris mark. Secondly, you will have to ask him if the Paris mark means that the actual piece was at the Exposition or if Amphora placed the mark on all production of a particular form that was included in the Exposition.
For example, I only know of two thistle and butterfly lady portrait vases. Byron has one pictured in his book and I have one, which is in the Amphora video. Both have the Paris 1900 mark. Does that mean both pieces were actually at the Exposition or that Amphora had only one there and all other production of this lady also got that mark? Maybe Byron knows. Maybe nobody knows.
I think its beautiful never seen anything like it n probally never will again!! Hang on to him
Hello ginnycripe,
Amphora exported a strong majority of its pottery to America. These dragon vases do pop up here and there if you watch the auctions. I'll hang on to mine. . .by the tail.
well I have never seen them before and I love dragons it is absoutly beautiful
love the looks and the storys to your collection thank you for the effort
Wow!!!!!!
I saw one like this on a recent episode of antiques roadshow.. was valued good $$$$ go to youtube and see if you can find the episode
You are right czechman. One of these Amphora dragons appeared on Antiques Roadshow on April 8 in Cincinatti. The Google search "Antiques Roadshow Amphora dragon" will locate the video.
Like the strong majority of these dragons, the wing on the one in the show has broken tips (not restored in this instance). The owner apparently broke a tip on her way to the show. Ouch! And it has some other damage that I can see. The appraiser said it could restored to tip top shape for $200. Having had a first rate restorer do some work for me I know that it would likely cost $400-$800.
The appraiser also said there were several potteries located in Teplitz, Bohemia that were called Amphora. Not correct. There was only one: Riessner, Stellmacher, and Kessel, which adopted the name Amphora after a year or so in business. No one else used the name Amphora.
Amphora made this dragon in 14" and 17" sizes.