Vases for Flowers

I've recently been to the exhibition in the Gallery of Decorative Art of 20th -21st centuries. There were shown vases for different occasions, such as vintage glass vases, wood pots to ceramic ones. It was interesting to look at and to think what vase I'd choose for cutting flowers. By the way I suppose glass and ceramic vases suit any occasion.

Some people avoid glass vases because flower stems are clearly visible through the glass. I liked the second glass vase (above), and I've imagined it with rose 'Pristine' long stems, it would be wonderful!
Another one in a shape of yellowish wine glass is elegant and I believe it's good for small flowers as daisies, primulas or lily of valley. What do you guess?

As flower design experts say 'many styles consist of: everyday vases, cylinder, square and twisted glass vases, that come in all different sizes and colors'. I've never mused about many styles of vases and decided to learn more. They also say 'The best shape for a vase is an hourglass: wide at the bottom, narrowed somewhere in the middle, and slightly flared at the top'. Amazingly but many people don't love this shape of vase.

The shape of above vase is similar to an electrical insulator and an image of electrical transmission wire lines decorates its upper part. How strange! 

These ceramic vases are a bit gruff for my taste, I'd never bought them. But perhaps some people would like to put flowers inside the Egyptian pharaoh head, who knows?

I liked ceramic vases imitated gems as ruby reds with lapis blues, emerald greens, or amethyst purples. This shape reminds me an antic roman vase, doesn't it?

There also were small ceramic vases like this white spherical one, they were very nice, and I believe it would be very pretty with sweet williams or cornflowers.

 

 

I consider this above small vase decorated with long red stems would be pretty with white flowers, and looking at the next one I was mystified: a very open vase is, flowers may fall down. What is it for, what do you assume? 

And what do you think about vases? Which of vases would you like to have at home?

Precious Flowers

      Today I want to tell you about the famous citizen of St. Petersburg. 
His name was Carl Faberge, he was the great expert in minerals, a recognized authority in this area, he also was the appraiser of gems at the Imperial court in Russia. Most often Easter eggs are associated with the name of Faberge, but the other side there was the manufacture of precious flowers in tiny vases which brought international fame to Faberge's production.  
Gravers skillfully treated pieces of rock crystal, creating the impression that the vase is filled with water.
All Faberge's precious flowers perfectly combine the artist’s imagination, the skill of a virtuoso enameler, painstaking work of a jeweler and stone-cutters, using amazing beauty of the gems of Siberia, the Urals and the Caucasus.

'Sculpture vase with flowers',  'Rose rugosa',  
'Snowdrop' and 'Snowdrops in a vase'

Gold, rock crystal, casting, carving, engraving, polishing. 1880

Rock crystal and chalcedony, carnelian and agate, aquamarine and opal, jasper, obsidian, jade, rhodonite stones and other were selected by artists with great taste. In addition, they could change the natural color of the mineral to give them the right shades and tones.

'Vase with flowers' and 'Blue bells'

                                                
      'Flower Lily', 'Daffodil', 'Dandelion'

 

Unique 'Flower Lily’, 1900, made of gold, jade, rock crystal, pearls. Among the owners of this fine work were the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna, and the wife of Nicholas II, Empress Alexandra.

Fine flower ‘Dandelion’ is a symbol of impermanence of life, made from gold, rock crystal, diamond, casting, carving, engraving, polishing, enamel. 1880

Here is a house in Great Morskaya Street, St. Petersburg where Peter Carl Faberge and his family lived and the jewelry store and workshops were located.

The portrait of Peter Carl Faberge

May 30, 1846, Saint Petersburg - September 24, 1920, Lausanne, Switzerland 

  'Lily of valley in a basket', 'Forget-me-not', 'Lily of valley'. 
Gold, pearls, lapis lazuli, rock crystal, casting, carving, engraving, polishing. 1880

According to the property inventory of the Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna's  palace, 33 flowers were in her collection: cornflowers, forget-me-not, cacti and a dandelion made of gold and diamonds on a gold stalk with jade leaves in a vase of rock crystal.
That's the story of Carl Faberge, one of the most famous Saint Petersburg citizen. I hope you loved his beautiful flowers of gems.  
Have you before known about Carl Faberge? 
Have you seen any things of his production somewhere?

P.S. Click on photo to enlarge it.


More about Faberge here