Vintage (VA) Vista Alegre Portuguese Clawfoot Porcelain Centerpiece Fruit Basket

Description

Here is a Vintage (VA) Vista Alegre Portuguese Clawfoot Porcelain Centerpiece Fruit Basket. This centerpiece is 12" long from handle to handle by 6 7/8" wide from front to back by 5" tall or high by 7 1/2" X 4 3/4" is the base from leg to leg. As seen in photo's the top rim, bottom rim and the four clawfeet are highlighted in Gold and the base of the clawfeet has holes which are considered vent holes when this piece was fired. The base is signed as follows: VA connected with a Gold dot above the letter (V), Portugal all in Green, Made in Portugal below in Blue as seen in photo #7&8. This was Pre Owned by a Collector of Fine European Porcelain that went up for sale to settle there Estate and most of all it is in Fantastic condition with NO Chips, Cracks or Flea Bites, this is Museum Quality.
Vista Alegre Porcelain History is as follows:
Josë Ferreira Pinto Basto, a landowner, merchant, and a leading member in Portuguese society believed in the new liberalism of the early 19th century.
After acquiring the Ermida Farm, located on the Aveiro stream near the town of Ilhavo in 1812, Basto purchased the Vista Alegre Chapel at a public auction in 1816. Basto continued to purchase nearby lands.
In 1824, Basto petitioned King João VI for permission to build a chemical professing, earthenware, glassware, and porcelain factory to be managed by his sons. A Royal license was granted on July , 1824, to build the factory. Initially, the factory produced glassware and soapstone pottery. Vista Alegre produced glassware from 1824 until 1880 when it ceased glassware production to concentrate on manufacturing porcelain. Glassware pieces featured relief decorations, engraved patterns, and fanciful borders.
Augusto Ferrieria Pinto Basto, José’s son, traveled to the Sevrés Porcelain Factory to study the manufacturing techniques for porcelain. Porcelain production at Vista Alegre became possible when a large kaolin clay deposit was located in Ilhavo in 1852. The artist Victor C. Rousseau helped to create a painting school.Vista Alegre exhibited at the 1851 Crystal Palace Exhibition in London. In 1852, King Fernando II ordered a dinnerware service from Vista Alegre. The company’s success was insured following its display at the 1867 Paris Universal Exhibition. Artist Duarte José de Magalhãrd developed a second painting school.New technology was introduced in the mid-19th century. Economic, political and social unrest plus bad management decisions during the latter part of the 19th century caused a decline in business. The downturn was not reversed until João Theodoro Ferrira Pinto Basto became Deputy Director in 1924. A period of growth followed.
Challenges following World War II included the cost of new equipment, employee training, and the increase of cheap foreign imports. Vista Alegre responded by increasing its worldwide markets. The company also worked closely with contemporary artists.In 1964, the Vista Alegre Museum was opened. In 1985, the company created the Vista Alegre Art and Development Center. A collectors’ club, initially limited to 2,500 members, was introduced in the same year. During the 1980s, Vista Alegre was represented at several international exhibitions, such as on at the New York Metropolitan Museum. Vista Alegre’s worldwide reputation continued to grow. In May 2001, the Vista Alegre Group (VAA) merged with the Atlantis Group, thus reintroducing crystal and glassware back into the product lines. In 2009, the VAA Group was taken over by the Visabeira Group portfolio. The combined company is now the sixth largest tableware group in the word.
Your item will be sent Priority Mail this way because I can Insure the Item. In the past items sent out in First Class mail got lost or were tampered with at the Post Office.
Payment is due within 7 days after the auction ends. I prefer PayPal. I will combine shipping if you purchase multiple items from me. Everything I sell comes from a Smoke-Free Home.
In the event the item is not what you expected or you are dissatisfied with it, you will have 60-Days buyer-Paid returns and you will be refunded the purchase price plus original postage.
When sending the item out, if I can make it cheaper then the quoted price I will just refund you the difference to your PayPal account as I have done in the past!