Sepia landscape - A Brown Painted Vase
Posted
9.00am, 29th November, 2008 
(Be first to vote for how ugly this vase is)
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You could be excused for thinking this vase is just a little dirty and a good scrub with some hot soapy water would restore it to it’s former glory taking away it’s dull sheen and showing off some bright vibrant colours.
You’d be wrong!
This vase really is as dull as it looks, it’s a decorated with a landscape theme all executed in various shades of brown. Brown trees, brown sky, brown fields, brown hedgerows, just brown.
Quite frankly I think I’d have preferred this vase and found it not quite as ugly if there was no pretense of a country scene and it was just a light brown vase with a dark brown top and bottom. At least then it would just be a vase, the horrible colouring on the image has definitely earned this a place in the ugly corner.
It is definitely Mocha ware - very popular in the 19th century, and made again now by a few potteries. This looks like a modern piece, the glaze doesn’t look right for an antique. What’s the base like, Chris?
Here you are for some info : http://www.potterwaller.com/page5.htm
The base is simply unglazed earthenware clay with an 8 inscribed in it. No other clues whatsoever.
What’s quite interesting about this one is inside it’s ribbed as if hand made with finger rings from when it was spun, but outside it’s smooth and yet you can see (and in a few spots feel) the ribs on the outside.
is it definitely an 8 or could it be a B - might be Boscastle, Roger Irving Little. They have been making Mocha ware for the last 45 years in Boscastle, and are still there, a feat of endurance in anyone’s book.