With a portrait painted on porcelain and framed in hand applied gold ornament accented by a framework of lovely old cut garnets, and jeweled further on the opposite side, this rather large opaline glass basket of a vase is just a superb addition to your collection and, I predict, will be your favorite centerpiece filled with a bouquet of red roses. Isn't it just wonderful! Heavy as a rock, the old handmade opaline glass is thick, undamaged. The painting is lovely, a portrait in miniature of a pretty girl from Victorian times, when the vase or basket would have been created. Photos show you the form, but it's hard to convey the weight of it in your hands, or the real beauty of it as a display piece or vase for roses. I bought a dozen roses to use as a prop, but they don't begin to fill it or balance it. I think you'd need 2 dozen for this big thing.
Very good to excellent condition for age and type. I can't find a single nip or tiny chip anywhere, and there are no cracks or hairlines, nothing missing but a bit of the applied gold that rims the base and you can evaluate that in our images. Porcelain portrait plaque is applied, as are the gems, and the gilting is hand-applied, as well. A superb mid-Victorian piece. Weighs about 3-4 pounds. Solid on its base, you may want to fill it with fruit or flowers, or leave it just as it is. I keep a collection of tortoise shell cigar cases in it, and it's long been a personal favorite. Isn't it grand!
