Royal Worcester Porcelain Covered Vases by Josiah Rushton, 1871-1872

A pair of large Royal Worcester porcelain covered vases, shape 520, dated 1871?2, the reserves decorated by Josiah Rushton, each of broad baluster shape on a square foot with a moulded and finialled cover and a pair of foliate scrolling handles to the shoulders extending down to the base of the body, pink ground with gilt details, the front of each body with a large gilt-framed reserve decorated with a classical scene of woman in an interior with a young attendant, one signed 'J. Rushton 1872' lower right, the reverse sides with foliage in gold, both with a printed factory marks with date '71' underside, 16.14 in. high. Other notes: Josiah Rushton (born 1836) was recruited as an apprentice at the Worcester Government school of design in 1853 alongside James Callowhill, Samuel Randford, and Luke Wells., He was employed at the factory until 1871 working as a decorator, specializing in fine figure subjects and is the greatest portrait painter from the Worcester factory. He also known to paint portraits on canvas, one of which was submitted to the Royal Academy in 1880., his pieces are rare to market.. Condition: gilding wear to vases, typical with age and handling, under Uv light one vase revealing a repair to upper part of one handle (filling to the upper joins of one handle), Regilding to all handles visible., cover in good condition- no visible repairs, losses and restoration to gilt decoration to reverse of one vase

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Gilding - Gilding is a method of ornamentation whereby a thin sheet of gold metal is applied to items made of wood, leather, ceramics, glass and silver for decorative purposes.

For furniture including mirrors, the sheet of gold is usually applied over a coating of gesso. Gesso is a mixture of plaster of Paris and gypsum mixed with water and then applied to the carved wooden frames of mirrors and picture frames as a base for applying the gold leaf. After numerous coats of gesso have been applied, allowed to dry and then sanded a coat of "bole", a usually red coloured mixture of clay and glue is brushed on and allowed to dry, after which the gold leaf is applied. Over time parts of the gilding will rub off so the base colour can be seen. In water gilding, this was generally a blue colour, while in oil gilding, the under layer was often yellow. In Victorian times, gilders frequently used red as a pigment beneath the gold leaf.

Metal was often gilded by a process known as fire gilding. Gold mixed with mercury was applied and heated, causing the mercury to evaporate, the long-term effect of which was to kill or disable the craftsman or woman from mercury poisoning. The pursuit of beauty has claimed many victims, not the least of which were the artists who made those pieces so highly sought after today.
Foliate - Decorated with leaves or leaf-like forms.
School of .... - In the opinion of the cataloguer, a work by a pupil or follower of the artist.

This item has been included into following indexes:

Royal Worcester (England), item types
- other 3,563
- vases, with covers 365
Rushton, Raymond - Royal Worcester artists 44