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Courtesy of Francis H. RhodesLabel
The tinted hand vase is made of Parian Ware, a very popular 19th century ware. It was first made in Copeland, England in 1842 and at various American potteries. A hard-paste, unglazed porcelain, it was designed for making cheap miniature reproductions of famous sculptures. It is commonly called "Statuary Porcelain". Pitchers, vases and small statues were most commonly made of this material. Hand vases like this one were popularized by Queen Victoria, who started the fashion by having small sculptures of her children's hands crafted as decorative pieces. The hand is usually upright with a ruffled cuff and the vase a flower, leaf, or shell form. They were made in a number of sizes.