Decorative porcelain samovar painted in the famous Russian style of Gzhel. Height: 11 inches (28 cm). Weight: 2.4 lbs (1.1 kg). Ships from Moscow within 7 business days.
As all Gzhel items, this charming porcelain samovar and teapot were first created in plaster forms being cast from liquid porcelain mass. After the first burning the forms were hand painted with cobalt. The background was kept white. Then the paintings were covered with glaze. Glaze fused and made the surface of the works glassy, giving cobalt its blue color.
Gzhel porcelain decorated with fancy blue painting has acquired wide popularity in the whole world. Its value consists in its uniqueness. Gzhel ware is decorated with flowers, leaves, bunches and garlands of flowers. They are painted with the only color - blue cobalt, which is sometimes laid in wide and rich dabs or hardly noticeable touches of the brush. Touches of different intensity create a rich, bright and very impressive picture.
History of Gzhel porcelain began in the seventeenth century. The porcelain took the name Gzhel after the village Gzhel which is situated in the Moscow Region. The first documentary evidence about the village dates back to the 1339 ecclesiastical charter of the Russian czar Ivan Kalita. There, at the distance of 60 km from Moscow people had long been engaged in pottery. Archaeological discoveries confirm the existence of pottery on Gzhel territory since the beginning of the fourteenth century.
Gzhel crafters have always made not only tableware, but also small genre sculptures. These works depicted animals and people in action. From time to time entire scenes of rural or urban life were depicted in such sculptures. For example: traditional tea-drinking, beauties walking or sitting at work, hens, roosters, birds and so on. All works have a uniting feature - hand-made fancy blue painting on white background. They are all truly handmade! The artist paints every cup or vase with a brush. That is why there are no two similar works, each one being really unique and keeping the style of its creator. Gzhel craftsmen are true artists that join talent and centuries-old experience of their predecessors.
However, handmade works are labor-intensive. They always come in small numbers, which often cannot meet demand. Even in Russia not many people have Gzhel ware; and collectors are very proud of their collections. The original ware has the hallmark Gzhel which confirms its authenticity and quality.
Modern Gzhel art is charming, cheerful and original. It soaks up the beauty of Russian nature and reserved, strong and expressive spirit of Russian people.
Today Gzhel is going through its golden age. Appear magnificent works with their mysterious dark blue shades floating through the light field. Fabulous patterns, garlands, free touches coupled with subtle drawings - all of this makes Gzhel ware original, decorative and attractive. It is nice to use Gzhel tableware. It has become very popular lately. White and blue articles decorate houses in different parts of the world. In our age of stamped fashion the thirst for original things - made not by a machine but by man's hands - continuously increases. The value of such things will undoubtedly increase with time.
