Cobalt Blue Snake Handle Vase

This is a really nice amphora shaped vase made by Meissen in the late 19th or early 20th century. A very popular design with the snake handles on either side! It was first designed by Ernst August Leuteritz in 1861 and is still very popular today. It is ahrd to find the cobalt blue ground version like this with the gilding in perfect codntion! The vase has a large hand painted floral arrangement on white ground in the front surrounded by fancy gilding with the main areas having that rich dark cobalt blue ground color to it. It has a gilded foot and mid section with a bit of cobalt blue to them as well and more gold trim to the top and just under where the heads of the snakes are located. The snakes have a relief scale design to them highlighted with gilding that looks stunning! What makes the piece special is that it is an older version and the gilding is in amazing condition! Often times these very gilded versions have a lot of wear and it does not look good with the wear or they have damage or have been restored so to get one in this superb condition is definitely a plus! The piece comes in two pieces that are connected with a screw which is normal. The vase is marked underneath with the under glaze blue crossed swords with the pronounced hilts mark as well as the usual impressed numbers and letters as shown. It is is 8.75 inches tall, 5.25 inches from handle to handle and 4 inches in diameter in the center. Please email me for more information or other pictures.