Boch Frères Art Deco Vase with Exotic Birds, Charles Catteau Era, Belgium c. 1925

Boch Frères Art Deco Vase with Exotic Birds, Charles Catteau Era, Belgium c. 1925

A fine example of Art Deco ceramic design from the renowned Boch Frères Keramis workshop, this hand-painted vase dates to the influential Charles Catteau era, circa 1925. The vase features an exuberant and highly stylized composition of exotic birds nestled among abstracted floral branches, rendered in a dynamic palette of ochre, cobalt blue, rust, and celadon against a matte ivory background. The birds' curving tail feathers and the rhythmic swirls in the foliage are characteristic of Catteau’s graphic approach to form, integrating modernist structure with a naturalistic theme.

This ovoid form is one of the workshop’s signature silhouettes, allowing for a balanced and continuous flow of the design around its body. The decoration is applied using enamel slip over a glazed surface, with finely executed detailing and rich contrasts that define the hallmark of Boch’s interwar production under Catteau’s direction. The base is likely stamped or numbered, as was typical of the period, though the exact mark is not shown here.

Pieces like this were part of the artistic revival in Belgian decorative arts, combining industrial ceramic techniques with expressive, hand-finished artistry. This vase reflects the bold, optimistic spirit of the 1920s and stands as a highly collectible work from one of Europe’s leading Art Deco ateliers.