Object Description
An exceptional and large monumental North American Rookwood pottery vase hand decorated with fruiting apples by Matthew Andrew Daly (American, 1860-1937) and dating from around 1888. The substantial pottery vase stands on a narrow round foot and is of wide round bulbous shape with a narrow pinched neck and short trumpet shaped top. The body of the vase is hand decorated in thick impasto style application with an apple tree branch laden with ripe fruit. The decoration is painted in autumnal colors in tones of yellow, brown and green on an orange and brown ground and probably one of the most stunning pieces of Rookwood we have had the pleasure of handling. The vase has impressed makers marks to the base along with initials MAD for Matthew Andrew Daly and is numbered 664B with a further W mark. Possibly an exhibition piece!