Casgliadau Arlein

Vase, soft-paste porcelain, standing on a short flange-like straight-sided foot-rim, the lower body cylindrical, flaring out to bulbous shoulders before tapering in to a cylindrical neck, round high domed cover, to the top of the cover a finial in the form of a raised flower head which issues moulded leaves on a stem which spread down the sides of the cover; the exterior body of the vase and the top of the cover covered with a streaky 'mazarin blue' ground, against which is reserved to the front of the vase a shield shaped panel left in the white and enclosed by an elaborate gilt cartouche with floral and foliate sprays and scrolled motifs, this panel then delicately painted in polychrome enamels with three exotic birds perched amidst spreading branches with further smaller branches flying overhead, scattered sprigs of flowers in gilt to the top of the cover, elaborate gilt dentil borders to the foot-rim and lip-rim of the vase and the rim of the cover, the flower head finial and moulded leaves to the cover picked out in purple and green.