This extraordinary copy of the legendary Portland Vase is one of the remarkably rare numbered First Editions crafted by Josiah Wedgwood, the greatest ceramics manufacturer of the 18th century. A tour-de-force of ceramic art, the Portland Vase First Editions are regarded as one of the greatest ceramic accomplishments of the 18th century, and a testament to the superior skill of Josiah Wedgwood, his extraordinary ambition, and his tireless dedication to perfection. Almost certainly the only numbered First Edition still in private hands, this exceptional Portland Vase is perhaps the greatest piece of ceramics to come on the market in recent decades.
Wedgwood's oven records list 43 First Edition copies of the Portland Vase produced between 1791 and 1796, 11 of which were broken during the firing process. In all, it is believed around 30 First Edition vases were completed, though an unknown number of these were somewhat damaged - one of these imperfect examples is currently held by the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. The perfect examples such as ours have found their way into the most important museum collections in the world. The British Museum (London), Wedgwood Museum (Stoke-en-Trent), Art Institute of Chicago, Birmingham Museum of Art, Museum of Fine Arts (Boston), Fitzwilliam Museum (Cambridge, UK), and the National Gallery of Victoria (Melbourne), among others, all hold one of these highly coveted vases in their collections.
Many, but not all, of these First Editions were numbered with manganese pencil just inside the rim, with the highest recorded number being 30. These are without a doubt the best examples made by Wedgwood's hand, as they are the only ones that match the complexity of the original, particularly in the superior shading of the cameo. The present version, which is numbered 22, is the last known example still in private hands; it was made for and owned by the Dowager Duchess of Beaufort, one of the original subscribers. With its heavier weight than later Portlands, its graceful form, and its exquisitely hand-painted shading on the cameo frieze, it is certainly among the finest copies made.
To this day, the renowned porcelain company regards the vase as its most momentous triumph, so much so that the vessel's silhouette is incorporated into the Wedgwood logo and backstamp. The form is a copy of the famed ancient Roman vessel known as the Portland Vase, an exquisite piece that remains the most important example of Roman cameo glass ever made. Celebrated for both its beauty and craftsmanship, it currently holds a premier place in the British Museum, which houses the world's finest collection of ancient artifacts. At the museum, it is second only to the Rosetta Stone in viewers, and is undoubtedly the most visited work of decorative art in the great museum's collection.
Believed to have been crafted in Rome circa 25 A.D., the original Portland Vase was discovered in the tomb of the Roman Emperor Alexander Severus in the 16th century. It was later held by the Barberini family in Italy for more than 150 years, and then came into the possession of Sir William Hamilton, who brought it to England.
The famed British sculptor John Flaxman was likely the first to have brought the vase to Wedgwood's attention. In a letter dated February 5, 1784, he wrote: "I wish you may soon come to town to see William Hamilton's vase, it is the finest production of Art that has been brought to England and seems to be the very apex of perfection to which you are endeavouring to bring your bisque and jasper·" Indeed, the Portland Vase is a masterpiece of cameo-cutting, with a stunning frieze of opaque white cameo glass over its translucent cobalt blue form. Its beauty and translucence would inspire Wedgwood to undertake a four-year-long endeavor to precisely replicate the original - in ceramic.
The goal was an ambitious one. At the time, the artifacts of ancient Rome were considered among the greatest pieces of art ever made, and the Portland Vase was the very best among them. The belief of ancient Rome's superiority was firmly engrained in 18th-century British culture, making Wedgwood's quest - and ultimate success - to recreate this vessel all the more remarkable. His eventual triumph elevated him to a position alongside the ancient masters.
The four years it took Wedgwood to recreate the vase was not without its tribulations. The original passed from the hands of William Hamilton to the eccentric Duchess of Portland, a woman Horace Walpole described as "a simple woman·intoxicated only by empty vases." She died a year later, and it was purchased by the 3rd Duke of Portland, who agreed to lend it to Wedgwood in 1786. A letter from Wedgwood to Hamilton dated June 24, 1786, reveals both his excitement and his apprehensions: "You will be pleased, I am sure, to hear what a treasure is just now put into my hands... His grace the Duke of Portland has generously lent it to me to copy· I stand in much need of your advice & directions in several particulars."
From the start, Wedgwood encountered numerous problems with his copies, from cracking and blistering to the difficulty of replicating the translucent effects of the original. The first acceptable copy was produced in October 1789 and sent to Wedgwood's physician and friend Erasmus Darwin, the grandfather of Charles Darwin. Wedgwood presented another copy to Queen Charlotte in May 1790, and afterwards organized a private exhibition of the vase at the Portland House in London. The viewing proved so popular that Wedgwood was forced to restrict the show to 1,900 visitors. Much of London wished to see Wedgwood's greatest major achievement.
Perhaps the highest praise of Wedgwood's copy came from the famed artist Sir Joshua Reynolds, the founder of the British Royal Academy: "I can venture to declare it a correct and faithful imitation, both in regard to the general effect, and the most minute detail of the part." The frieze, which is thought to represent the myth of Peleus and Thetis, was meticulously replicated and applied with a thin black slip to mimic the transparency of the original's cameo glass. Particular care was taken in reproducing the detailed cameo design, and through a combination of undercutting and painted shading, Wedgwood successfully achieved the delicacy of the original. Even the base disc was reproduced by Wedgwood, with a stunning relief that extends to the extreme edge so that it appears to blend upwards into the frieze above.
In terms of technical achievement, the First Edition Portland Vases remain unsurpassed in the realm of ceramics; through his meticulous trials, Wedgwood not only created stunning works of art, but also perfected jasper, the formula which would become the Wedgwood manufactory's signature. Since the creation of the First Editions and their subsequent popularity, a number of others have been issued by the Wedgwood manufactory, though none come close to replicating the artistry, perfection, and translucency of the original copies. The First Editions are also far more substantial in weight compared to other examples, a testament to their superior quality. Another famed Wedgwood object known as the First Day's Vase, inferior in both significance and virtuosity to the present piece, recently sold at a 2016 Christie's auction for a record-breaking $625,320.
The present example, First Edition #22, was exhibited at the Royal Ontario Museum of Archaeology, Toronto, Canada, from 1951-1953.
