Collecting Lady Head Vases
Lady head vases were made primarily in Japan and were popular in America from the late 1940s through the early '70's. These ceramic vases were used in florists' flower arrangements.
There were dozens of manufacturers and thousands of different kinds of vases. As a result, you'll find them at flea markets and yard sales, antiques malls, and auctions sites like eBay.
Makers include Napco, Enesco, Rubens and Betty Lou Nichols, whose marks make good identifiers, but unfortunately not all vases have them. One good way to identify quality vases is to look for flourishes such as necklaces and dangling earrings. These should have a patina about them, and not look new and shiny.
Prices vary, and you can find a nice vase for $15, but expect to pay more like $50 for a lady head vase in good condition. Some sell for as much as $1,500.
Some good resources are the Head Vase Museum and Antique Head Vases.
