Antique Doulton Lambeth Florence Barlow Vase, Circa 1882

This is a very rare Lambeth stoneware Doulton vase in the Pâte-sur-pâte style, with blue panels on a tan body, beautifully hand painted images of birds and flowers; the peacock feather is skilfully drawn. This piece was created by the famous artist Florence Barlow. The vase is signed with her distinctive monogram and bears the company mark. The first Royal Doulton pottery was established by John Doulton in the Lambeth district of London in 1815. His son, Henry Doulton, took over the running of the Lambeth pottery and was knighted by Queen Victoria in 1887 for his contribution to the ceramics industry. From the early 1870s, Sir Henry engaged talented artists to decorate a wide range of art pottery, including vases and figurines. Among the leading artists of the Lambeth studio were George Tinworth, George Tabor, Frank Butler and the Barlow sisters, Hannah and Florence. Florence Barlow was one of the most popular and sought-after artists at Royal Doulton. She and her sister Hannah were two of the nine children of Benjamin Iram Barlow (1813-1866), a bank manager, and his wife Hannah (1816-1882), born in Hadham, Hertfordshire, England. In 1871, Hannah Barlow, along with several other students, including their brother Arthur, was employed by Doulton Lambeth Pottery to decorate salt-glazed stoneware. Florence joined Doulton in 1873 and remained there for 36 years, until 1909. Initially, Florence's designs were very similar to her sister's style. However, when Doulton introduced paste-on-paste products in 1878, Florence had mastered the technique. It was agreed between the two sisters that Florence would specialise in birds, while Hannah would concentrate on depicting the rest of the animal kingdom. Florence Barlow's work, particularly her favourite subjects - birds and flowers - on decorative vases produced in the late 1890s, can sell for between £800 and £1,500, depending on their condition. Florence marked all her pieces with a distinctive monogram, different from her sister's. Florence Barlow exhibited her work at various exhibitions, societies and galleries. She presented her work at the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition in 1876; in 1884 and 1885 she exhibited watercolours at the Royal Academy; and in 1883 and 1889 she exhibited her work at the Royal Society of British Artists. In 1904 she participated in the Louisiana Purchase Exhibition and received well-deserved praise for her work. Collectors of Doulton and other ceramics are increasingly appreciating the superb detail of Florence's bird studies, and prices are rising. Her pieces are not as common as Hannah's, but they sell well at local and national auctions. Interest in Florence Barlow's work has grown considerably, making her pieces rarer and a good financial investment.
Object Dimensions: Height: 28.8 cm, top diameter: 9.9 cm, bottom diameter: 9.8 cm, diameter of widest part: 14.6 cm, weight: 1,422 grams.
Condition: The porcelain is chipped in several places; one of the flower panels has flaking paint. A few small beads of the upper decoration are missing. The paint is slightly damaged due to age. Otherwise, the object is in excellent condition.
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