Vintage Purple and White Cased Glass Bud Vase with Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker Motif

At 26 cm tall, this vintage purple and white cased glass bud vase with its finely detailed yellow-bellied sapsucker motif has an elegance of proportion and a richness of colour that places it among the more accomplished examples of bird-decorated decorative glass, the fluted form drawing the eye upward to the bird perched among branches with a naturalism that rewards close examination.

Made in the 20th century by an unidentified maker, this bud vase is an example of the decorative glass tradition in which cased glass, produced by encasing one layer of coloured glass within another, is used as the ground for applied or painted bird decoration. The rich purple outer glass, cased with white to give the body a depth and opacity that a single-colour piece could not achieve, provides a striking backdrop for the yellow-bellied sapsucker motif, a North American woodpecker species rendered here with the kind of detailed naturalism that suggests the maker was working from ornithological reference material. The fluted form of the vase, with its gently ridged body tapering to a narrow neck, gives the piece a classical elegance that suits both the bird decoration and the rich colour of the glass. The piece is in very good condition throughout.

• Maker: Unknown
• Dimensions: 26 cm (H) x 8 cm (W)
• Condition: Very Good
• Features: Purple and white cased glass, fluted form, yellow-bellied sapsucker bird motif
• Period: 20th century
• SKU: CBD-0145

A distinctive piece of bird-decorated vintage glass for the collector of decorative glassware or ornithological subjects. Pairs naturally with the Nicobar parakeet bud vase (CBD-0146) in our Glass Vases collection.