Green Ground Hawthorn Baluster and Beaker Vases, Antique Plate 1911

Printed in color in London in 1911 for Bernard Quaritch, this original antique plate shows a group of two vases, a baluster and a beaker, on a delicate green ground with hawthorn and prunus. Twisting aubergine trunks and green twigs bearing white blossoms cover both vases, with rocks, flag and bamboo below and pairs of finches above. The authors point out that the baluster carries true thorned hawthorn while the beaker has thornless prunus. Gorer and Blacker describe them as Kang-he period and record them as from the collection formed by Richard Bennett; baluster vase height 17 1/2 inches (45 cm), diameter 8 5/8 inches (22 cm); beaker vase height 17 inches (43 cm), diameter 8 1/2 inches (22 cm).

The plate comes from Chinese Porcelain and Hard Stones, the two volume work that Edgar Gorer and J. F. Blacker published through Bernard Quaritch of 11 Grafton Street, New Bond Street, London, in 1911. Two hundred and fifty four full page plates were printed in color by a photo mechanical process, each one facing a page of letterpress in English and French that described the piece. The edition was limited to one thousand numbered copies. The plates are color collotypes, and the book records that it was produced and printed by the Menpes Printing and Engraving Company of London and Watford.

Each sheet shows a single piece or group photographed against a plain ground, at a consistent scale and format throughout the book, with the plate number printed in red below. The book's text, which faced each plate, gives the authors' description, the period they assigned and the collection the piece was in.

Even age toning. A few small foxing spots in the margin. Slight wear at the bottom right corner. Minor edge wear, shallow nicks along the right. Several larger brown marks.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed.