Gouda pottery vase, model 131 with P-decor, painted with hanging fruit by Frederika Delchambre

Description

This vase was made by the Dutch pottery company Zuid-Holland from Gouda during the period 1902-1907. It is painted with a P/c decor. The ‘P’ stands for porcelain and was introduced to the market in 1901 to compete with the very popular and expensive Rozenburg eggshell porcelain. There are three categories in this decor: P/a, P/b, and P/c. The last category is rare and depicts plants with nuts and fruit. In the case of this vase, you see climbing plants with hanging fruit; these are presumably bitter melons, cucumbers, or gourds that are common in Asia. The inspiration for this decor may have come from a Japanese woodblock print from the Magazine Japon Artistique. This magazine was a source of inspiration for Dutch ceramic painters (read this article about it and see the illustration below).

The vase is 31 cm or 12.2 inch high and 18.5 cm or 7.3 inch wide and is in good condition. The neck and arms are intact; only a very thin hairline crack is present on the base ring, running in a semicircle from the bottom. If we turn the vase over, we see the words: Made in Zuid-Holland, the Lazarus Gate (factory logo), the markings for the decor: P/c, and the signature of the painter: Frederika Delchambre. On the bottom, you can also see that this is a vase with a very renowned provenance. This vase has been part of both the Spijker Collection and the Meentwijck Collection.