American Pewter Vases Signed Lester H. Vaughan

Lester Howard Vaughan (1889-1961) is considered the most important American pewterer of the twentieth century. Trained as a silversmith, he started working in pewter at Reed and Barton in 1909 because of his interest in American antiques. In 1915 he started his own full-time pewter business in Taunton, Massachusetts, where he made these vases. He designed all his own pewter and it's extremely well-made.

The vases, while complementary, are not a matched pair. Both are trumpet shaped, with round, stepped bases. The taller of the two, however, has a decorative ring above the base, while the smaller one does not.

The larger of the vases measures 8 1/4 inches in height with both mouth and base 3 1/2 inches in diameter and it weighs 3/4 of a pound. The bottom of the vase is indented in the center and bears the incised, stamped mark: "L.H. VAUGHAN TAUNTON, MASS PEWTER." Vaughan made this vase circa 1917-1927.

The smaller of the vases stands 6 inches tall with a base diameter of 2 1/2 inches, a mouth of nearly 3 inches across and it weighs about 1/4 pound. The center of the base's underside is not kicked-up so in addition to the same mark on the larger vase, Vaughan stamped his monogram: LHV within a square. This vase was made by Vaughan in the 1930's.

We did not polish these pieces since some pewter collectors prefer an unpolished patina. Both vases have spotted interiors, probably from using water for flowers in them. (We didn't use water for the photo with the flowers.) As pictured in our photos, both have some signs of wear on the exteriors, and the larger of the two has a small bend in the upper rim, but there are no major damages or repairs. With or without flowers, these handsome old pewter vases display beautifully.

✤ In the book "American Arts, published in 1928, author Rilla Evelyn jackman wrote about Lester Vaughan: 'In the simplicity of design Mr. Vaughan's work reminds one of the Revere silver...Never does Mr. Vaughan forget the material in which he is working. There is no ornamentation of the surface, but the forms are beautiful in line.'

✤ Eleanor Roosevelt ordered 4 Vaughan tea sets with which she served guests while in the White House with FDR. Vaughan was awarded the medal of the Boston Society of Arts & Crafts as well as the Art Institute of Chicago's Arthur Heun Prize. His work was exhibited at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Cleveland Art Museum.

✤ References: Bulletin of The Pewter Collector's Club of America, Winter, 2000; "American and English Pewter at the Yale University Art Gallery" {Which owns two of L.H. Vaughan's pewter pieces in their permanent collection.}

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