Pair of vases from Amphora Holland Oegstgeest, with a decor of birds, designed by Theo Verstraaten

Description

This pair of vases was made by the Amphora-Holland tile and faience factory from Oegstgeest (a city near Leiden in The Netherlands) in the period around 1910. Both vases have a convex, egg-shaped belly and a narrow neck with elegant ears. One vase is 25 cm or 9.8 inches and the other vase is slightly higher: 25.5 or 10 inches. The vases are 12.5 or 4.9 inches wide. They are painted with a beautiful and very detailed decor of birds, pine branches and berries, designed by Theo Verstraaten. Verstraaten worked in previous years as a designer at the Rozenburg pottery factory in The Hague, at Brantjes in Purmerend and a the Zuid-Holland pottery company from Gouda. He was involved in the Amphora factory as a designer around 1910. Although both vases are signed, it is not known who the painters were. It is clear that Verstraaten was inspired by antique Japanese prints. The vases are in neat condition. A break in the ear of one vase has been professionally restored. A hairline, also in the ear, has been repaired on the other vase. There is nothing left to see of that now. Both vases have a pattern of craquelure. They are signed differently. One with the logo of the Amphora factory and the other with just the words: Amphora Holland. You will also see a reference to the model number: 259-3 and the signatures of two unknown painters under both vases.

These vases are not for sale and belong to my private collection