Antique Porcelain Vases From Alexandra Porcelain Works Ernst Wahliss, Circa 1905

A pair of small hand-painted Art Nouveau porcelain vases with handles, made by Ernst Wahliss's Alexandra Porcelain Works in Turn-Teplitz, Bohemia, Austria (now Trnovany, Czech Republic) circa 1905. These beautifully crafted vases are delicately decorated with hand-painted designs of various flowers on the front and back, on an ivory ground. The flower petals are outlined with a raised engobe and accented with touches of gilding. The unusual handles are enhanced with gilding and the reticulated neck is heavily gilded, giving these vases a particularly festive appearance. The base of the vases bears the Alexandra Porcelain Works mark. Alfred Stellmacher (born 1837) began working at the Imperial & Royal Porcelain Works in Vienna before opening his own factory in 1859 in Turn-Teplitz, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Ernst Wahliss (born 1836) was an Austrian ceramicist known for his ornate porcelain and faience designs for the European elite. Wahliss began his ceramic career as a travelling salesman for a porcelain factory, before setting up his own workshop and exporting throughout Europe. To meet the high demand for pottery and sculpture, Wahliss opened a department store in central Vienna, and then a second in London. In 1894, Wahliss took over Alfred Stellmacher's factory and renamed it Ernst Wahliss Kunst, Porzellan und Fayence Fabrik. Ernst Wahliss died in 1900 and his sons Hans and Erich took over the company. The company produced large quantities of various items and received numerous awards at exhibitions. In 1902, they purchased over 500 moulds from the Imperial and Royal Porcelain Manufactory in Vienna and began producing models from these moulds. In 1905, Hans and Erich renamed their company Alexandra Porcelain Works Ernst Wahliss. The pieces marked "Royal Vienna" are believed to have been made using these purchased moulds. In 1907, the factory was bought by Gerhard Martin Wahliss and in 1910 it switched to the production of earthenware. The factory closed temporarily during World War I and became part of Porzellanfabrik Union AG in 1921. Production ceased in 1929. The factory operated under the name Wahliss for only 24 years, making its products very rare and highly sought after by collectors of Bohemian porcelain. Dimensions: Height 14.2 cm, Width 7.5 cm: Height 14.2 cm, Width 7.8 cm, Depth 6.7 cm. Condition: Slight loss of gilding consistent with age. No visible signs of damage or restoration. Excellent condition. Please study the accompanying photographs carefully, as they are an integral part of this description. The item will be shipped with full tracking and insurance.