Pair of blue vases, Christopher Dresser for Minton Bamboo design, circa 1879

Each vase is shaped as a stylised bamboo, with raised relief decoration and a deep blue glaze characteristic of late 19th-century Orientalist design. The restrained yet refined aesthetic reflects Dresser’s visionary approach, as a leading figure of the Aesthetic Movement and early industrial design.

Both pieces bear impressed Minton marks, including the date cypher for 1879. There are glaze chips to the surface of both vases, some of which have been restored. Each vase has a crack, and one has an old chip to the base rim. These signs of age remain consistent with the period and do not detract from the strong decorative presence of the pair.

An excellent example of Christopher Dresser’s fusion of modern form and natural inspiration in collaboration with Minton.