Antique Porcelain Souvenir Vase Beaded Decoration with Transfer of Palazzo Ducale, Venice

This unusual and delightful antique porcelain souvenir vase is from Venice, Italy, circa 1910. The pure white porcelain has a seafoam green glaze topped with scattered pink flowers (camellias?). Three-dimensional white beads in groups of five surrounded by arabesques, all made of liquified porcelain clay (slip) in the style of moriage, were applied overall, making the vase very tactile as well as beautiful.

The pièce de résistance is the hand-tinted photographic transfer of the Palazzo Ducale (Doge's Palace) in Venice. The Doge was the chief magistrate in Venice, the head of State. The palace was both his residence and the seat of the Venetian government. It is now a museum.

This bowl vase stands 5 inches tall, about 4 inches across at the belly and weighs 1/4 of a pound. It is in excellent condition save for some missing beads (shown). There are no cracks, chips, stains or other damage. This lovely piece was easily tucked into luggage when one went on a Grand Tour of Europe in the early twentieth century.

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PYH 5601