Description: This large and beautifully crafted ceramic vase was made by Villeroy and Boch in Mettlach in around the 1840s.

The early period of Mettlach is considered 1840s - 1860s. During this period many different and highly collectable items were made in much smaller quantities than in the later period.

This vase is made in a style that is very familiar for many Mettlach collectors - with marbled stoneware and applied highly elaborate hand-sculptured relief presenting hops vines and buds. The quality of craftsmanship is simply astonishing - nobody else neither before nor after Mettlach was able to achieve such perfect quality of ceramics.

The vase is enameled with white enamel on the inside.

There is Mettlach mark on the bottom - this mark is the oldest Mettlach mark that appears on beer steins. It was in use from 1844 till 1860. This vase is most likely one of the oldest ceramics items Mettlach ever produced - it is quite rare. It is not even featured in G.Kirsner's "The Mettlach Book" - there is a similar vase presented in the book under the number 138, but it is much smaller than this one.

The vase is in great condition, with no chips or cracks, I couldn't find any losses to the applied relief. There are some white enamel losses at the top, but they are covered with clear glass enamel - so it is a production issue. There is also some platinum highlights wear - other than that, no problems whatsoever.

It is 9" tall, with the maximum width of 7"