{HISTORY}

The curve of a flower, the striation of a leaf, the shape of a bird perched on a branch...

Stangl Pottery was no stranger to the beautiful forms found in nature. An art pottery with roots dating back to the early 1800s, they were best known for their red clay dishware, ceramic bird figurines, and artistically designed vases. 

Previously known as Fulper Pottery, Stangl was based in Trenton, NJ, and named for German immigrant J. Martin Stangl, a ceramic engineer who became the pottery's president in the mid-1920s.

Stangl pieces were very popular throughout the 20th century. Martin believed that was because of the pottery’s dedicated team of artisans who handmade and decorated their wares with the utmost attention to detail. But many others, employees included, believed it was because of Martin's commitment to care, quality, and craft that saw the pottery through its most popular years. When he passed away in the early 1970s, Martin instructed in his will that the pottery either be sold or liquidated. That's when the heart went out of the business, and even though it sold to another company, it could never return to what it once was.

Without Martin at the helm, Stangl's level of artistry and craftsmanship couldn't compete financially with lesser quality, mass-produced imports.  The pottery closed permanently in 1978, at a loss to the community and to collectors. The vintage pieces that float around the collecting world today beautifully showcase the exceptional design work that Stangl was known for. All that hand-touched detailing and dynamic design, executed with such care and attention, could never be replicated in the same way by machine.

Made between 1954-1956, this Stangl American Bone China vase features a unique shape and hand-painted gold embellishments that highlight the veins in the ivory-shaded leaves.  Veering away from the heavy, thick-walled pottery style that made Stangl a household name, this delicate, light-as-a-feather vase was Martin's attempt at proving to the world that American-made bone china was equivalent in beauty and durability to that of European bone china. 

Focusing on the popularity of midcentury gold and white dishware, and experimenting with many different shapes and design concepts, Stangl artisans created tea and coffee sets, tureens, bird figurines, and leaf vases for their American Bone China series. Proving that American bone china did have a place in the annals of American pottery manufacture, the look and feel of Stangl's bone china series upon debut was often compared to Lenox.  But after just two years in production, Martin discontinued the American Bone China series to refocus on the heavier pottery styles Stangl had always been known for. The leaf vase shape stuck around, though. It evolved into a heavier clay version with a brushed gold finish, which debuted in 1959 and was produced into the 1960s.  This is why you can find the Stangl leaf vase in two versions - thin and thick, and can easily date which came first. 

Artistic and fanciful, the American Bone China version of the Stangl leaf vase, with its delicate composition and unique shape, is just as appealing on its own as it is displaying your favorite flower bouquet. A beauty from all angles, we love it best incorporated into natural or nautical decor, and as a holder for tropical bouquets on kitchen shelves, book nooks, dining tables, and mantels.

{SPECIAL FEATURES}

• Gold & Ivory color palette
• Bone China

{CONDITION}

In gorgeous vintage condition, this vase contains no chips, cracks, spots, or stains. The gold detailing is bright and shiny throughout with no signs of wear. Please see photos.

{SIZE}

Measures 5.75" inches (height) x 4.75" inches (width) x 2" inches (depth) and weighs 9 oz.