Vase with knopped stem

Art Historical Context

Crafted around 1880 by Harry Powell at the esteemed James Powell and Sons' Whitefriars Glassworks London, this *Vase with Knopped Stem* exemplifies the innovative spirit of late Victorian British glassmaking. Standing at just over 8 tall, its elegant form features a slender body swelling gently to a flared rim, supported by a distinctive knopped stem—a bulbous element that adds both balance and visual intrigue. Produced during a period when British artisans were reviving medieval techniques amid the Aesthetic Movement, Whitefriars was renowned for pushing the boundaries of colored glass, blending functionality with ornamental beauty. The vase's medium is particularly captivating: “straw opal” glass, a pale, opalescent material evoking the soft glow of straw in sunlight, paired with a knop of uranium glass. This rare combination highlights advanced 19th-century glassblowing and coloring methods; uranium glass, popular in the era, fluoresces a vivid green under ultraviolet light, offering a hidden spectacle that would have delighted Victorian collectors. Such pieces reflect the era's fascination with iridescent effects and exotic materials, bridging decorative arts and emerging scientific curiosity. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's European Sculpture and Decorative Arts department, this vase (acquired through donor funds in 2015) invites visitors to appreciate the craftsmanship of Whitefriars, a powerhouse in Britain's glass renaissance that influenced later Arts and Crafts designers. A delicate treasure, it whispers of an age when everyday objects became art.

About the Artist

Harry Powell|James Powell and Sons|Whitefriars Glassworks (British| |British) · 1853 | |1834 –1922 | |1980

British, 1853–1922| |British, 1834–1980