AN EXTREMELY RARE 19TH CENTURY MASONS IRONSTONE EXHIBITION COUNTRY HOUSE VASE AND COVER decorated all over with chinoiserie scenes. 148 cm x 40 cm. Note: This vase is made of a ceramic body introduced in the early nineteenth century that was called by the factory "Mason?s Ironstone China". In fact, a fine white earthenware was employed for "ironstone", but the name given by the firm implied both durability and the elegance of Chinese porcelain. Ironstone could be inexpensively made, and works in this medium were enormously popular throughout the nineteenth century. In addition, the decoration involved painting over transfer-printed designs which was far less expensive that applying decoration entirely by hand. Thus works such as these, despite their imposing size, were much more affordable than comparable porcelain vases with traditional painted decoration.