Bernard Moore Crystaline Flambe Vase

Bernard Moore Crystalline Flambe Vase, standing 4.25 inches (10.8cm) tall, circa 1905-1915. This small vase showcases the extraordinary glaze mastery that made Bernard Moore one of Britain's most important art potters. Combining two notoriously difficult techniques—flambe and crystalline glazes—the piece displays the rich, unpredictable colors achieved through metallic oxides fired at extreme temperatures up to 1500°C in a reducing atmosphere.

Bernard Moore (1850-1935) was a renowned ceramic chemist who established his Wolfe Street studio in Stoke-on-Trent in 1905 after the closure of the family firm Moore Bros. He had spent decades perfecting Chinese-inspired sang-de-boeuf and rouge flambe glazes, achieving mastery by 1900. His expertise was so respected that in 1902 he was elected president of the English Ceramic Society.

Flambe glazes use metallic oxides (typically iron or copper) that undergo violent reactions during high-temperature firing, producing unpredictable ranges of reds, purples, blues, and greens. Crystalline glazes create distinctive crystal formations within the glaze surface. Moore's ability to combine both techniques in a single piece demonstrated exceptional technical skill—each firing was experimental, with no two pieces exactly alike.

Moore's Wolfe Street studio employed leading ceramic artists to decorate his pieces, though much of the work was experimental rather than commercial. His consultancy business served major potteries including Royal Doulton, Minton, Wedgwood, and Pilkington's, sharing his glaze expertise internationally. Examples of his work were acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum (eleven pieces in 1905) and the British Museum (six pieces donated in 1902).

Bernard Moore, along with William Howson Taylor (Ruskin Pottery) and the Burton brothers (Pilkington's), is considered a founder of the British studio pottery movement. The studio closed in 1915, though Moore continued as a ceramic consultant until his death in 1935. His works remain highly collectible, representing the peak of early 20th-century British art pottery and glaze chemistry.

Perfect for collectors of British art pottery, studio ceramics, flambe and crystalline glazes, and Arts and Crafts movement decorative arts. Fully insured shipping across Canada with tracking.

This example is in near mint condition with no major chips, cracks, or repairs. There is however a very small nick to the bottom of the vase. ( see pic)  The glazes retain their original depth and brilliance. The base bears Bernard Moore's painted signature mark.