Antique Porcelain Vases by Alexandra Porcelain Works Ernst Wahliss, C. 1905

A pair of small hand-painted Art Nouveau porcelain vases with handles, made by Alexandra Porcelain Works Ernst Wahliss in Turn-Teplitz, Bohemia, Austria (now Trnovany, Czech Republic) around 1905. These beautifully crafted vases are delicately decorated with hand-painted designs of various flowers on both the front and back, set against an ivory ground. The flower petals are highlighted with raised slip and accented with touches of gilt. The unusual handles are enhanced with gilding, and the reticulated neck is heavily adorned with gilding, giving these vases a particularly festive appearance.

The vases are marked on the bottom with the Alexandra Porcelain Works mark.

Alfred Stellmacher (born 1837) began working at the Imperial & Royal Porcelain Works in Vienna before opening his own factory in 1859 in Turn-Teplitz, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Meanwhile, Ernst Wahliss (born 1836) was an Austrian ceramicist known for creating ornate porcelain and earthenware vessels for the European elite. Wahliss started his pottery career as a traveling salesman for a porcelain factory, eventually establishing his own workshop and exporting across Europe. To meet the high demand for his pottery and sculptures, Wahliss opened a department store in Vienna’s city center, followed by a second store in London. In 1894, Wahliss took over Alfred Stellmacher’s factory, renaming it the Ernst Wahliss Kunst, Porzellan und Fayence Fabrik.

Ernst Wahliss passed away in 1900, and his sons, Hans and Erich, took over the business. The company produced large quantities of various wares and received numerous awards at exhibitions. In 1902, they purchased over 500 molds from the Imperial and Royal Porcelain Manufactory in Vienna and began producing designs using these molds. In 1905, Hans and Erich renamed the company Alexandra Porcelain Works Ernst Wahliss. Pieces marked "Royal Vienna" are assumed to have been made using these purchased molds. In 1907, the factory was acquired by Gerhard Martin Wahliss and by 1910 shifted focus to the production of faience pottery. The factory temporarily closed during World War I and became part of Porzellanfabrik Union AG in 1921. Production ceased in 1929. The factory operated under the Wahliss name for only 24 years, making its products very rare and highly sought after by collectors of Bohemian porcelain.

Dimensions: Height 14.2 cm, width 7.8 cm, depth 6.7 cm

Condition: Minor loss of gilding commensurate with age. No visible signs of damage or restoration. Excellent antique condition.

Please study the accompanying photographs carefully as they form an integral part of this description. The item will be shipped with full tracking and insurance. It is important to note that shipping costs include labor, packaging, and postage.