New Acquisition Spotlight: Grueby's Daisy Vase

If there is a gold standard by which all Grueby pottery is to be held to, it would be this exceptional Daisy Vase, newly acquired by the Two Red Roses Foundation and now on display at MAACM. Extraordinarily rare, exquisite in detail, and unrivaled in quality, MAACM is delighted to prominently feature this beautiful vase in the new Masterpieces exhibition, now open.

In describing this vase in a 2009 article in The Magazine Antiques, Curatorial Director of the American Decorative Art 1900 Foundation, Joe Cunningham, speaks about the connoisseurship of vessels produced by the Grueby Faience Company, and the need for “reassessment of the finest objects produced by the firm, providing a framework for evaluating its forms and glazes and those sublime moments when they come together perfectly.” The Daisy Vase is described therein as an example of such elite craftsmanship. The Two Red Roses Foundation was fortunate enough to acquire it as the only remaining example from a private collection. The other three examples can be found at the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art in Winter Park, Florida, the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum and the Bruce Barnes Collection.

As a Grueby masterwork, the vase is an exemplar of their highest level of quality in glazed earthenware. The vase’s impressive dimensions alone of 16 ½ h, 8 7⁄8 inches diameter, draw attention upon itself from afar, and delights the observer with its complex organic ornamentation upon close inspection. The raised design of daisies, stems, and leaves are accentuated by Grueby’s iconic matte green glaze.

See this and other stunning examples of American Arts and Crafts in Masterpieces, now open!