A very rare Royal Worcester Polar Bear vase by Harry Davis, dated 1903


Of slender ovoid form, painted with two polar bears on icebergs, within a continuous landscape of snowy mountains and a clear light blue sky, signed H Davis, the moulded foot, neck and twin handles picked out in in pale green, salmon pink and gold against the ivory ground, 26cm high, printed mark, shape number 2256
|ProvenanceDennis Garrick Collection A visit to London Zoo inspired Harry Davis to adapt Royal Worcester's matt blue ground, previously used for Charley Baldwyn's swan subjects. Harry recalled painting 'about fifty' vases only. The few surviving examples are mostly dated 1903. A polar bear vase of the same shape and size, also painted in 1903, is illustrated by Peter Marsh and Craig Smith, Hand Painted Royal Worcester Porcelain (2005), p.21. A pair of larger vases by Harry Davis painted with similar scenes is illustrated by Henry Sandon, Royal Worcester Porcelain (1975), pl.137.