Head Vases and Planters


What are they? Head vases and planters with Catholic themes were once a common artifact in nearly every Catholic home. Made of ceramic or porcelain, they are decorative containers with an opening in the back to hold plants or flowers. Often referred to as head vases, these decorative pieces are generally designed to feature a bust or head. Others may feature a full figure. Most commonly depicting the Blessed Virgin Mary, often holding her Infant, these were special gifts for Mother's Day, for the birth of a new child, or to provide a note of encouragement to those who were ill or grieving. Today a gift of flowers is likely to be presented in vessels resembling teddy bears or coffee mugs, or just about anything but the Blessed Mother.			Then		Now
While we at Catholic Home and Garden love them as devotional pieces, we recognize that they are also very collectible and hope you will enjoy the information below. These are all examples of what has sold online and are not items that we offer for sale regularly. Please check our storefront as they become available.			Dirt! In some you might also find encrusted soil or salts. This can generally be removed with a good soaking in bleach (on the inside only) or vinegar. Sometimes, however, nothing you do will remove it ... so just forget it. It's in the back of the piece anyway!
Where to find them. What to look for. It's almost impossible to find new head vases at your local florist unless they have some old stock hidden away. These beautiful pieces can still be found at garage sales, estate sales and church white elephant sales. Many collectors look for specific brands such as Lefton, Hull, Haeger, red marked Made in Japan, Inarco, and Nancy Pew Artmark. There are many beautiful pieces that are unmarked, and some of our personal favorites are made in Italy, like the one pictured above. What to Pay. If you're lucky enough to find them at a garage sale or flea market, expect to pay $1-$3.00 for most head vases. Sought-after brand names may command prices between $5-15, depending on size and detailing. Shopping on the internet, prices increase steeply, with most starting at $10 and traveling upwards for hard-to-find prices. Add another $5 or more for shipping and the total cost can approach $20 or more. Well worth it if you find a piece you love.			Other Problems -Some of the older pieces with delicate glazes will exhibit crazing -- fine line cracks through the upper glaze. We happen to like this effect, but many collectors steer away from it. In some of the red marked Made in Japan pieces, particularly those of the Infant of Prague in red vestments, you may find some paint loss. Not to worry ... unless you're a purist. Scrub away the loose paint and replace or repair it with matching red nail polish. "Real" collectors will shudder at this suggestion, but we only collect them as devotional pieces, so it doesn't much matter. In general, unless you want to remove the paint, it's never a good idea to scrub the outside as it can damage the gilding. Instead, gently dislodge dust and dirt with a soft bristle brush, and then gently sponge with a milt liquid soap. Broken fingers are another problem. We've been experimenting with porcelain replacement using Craft Porcelain from American Art Clay Co. also available at Michaels Craft Stores.
Problems with Paint
The type of paint used on Infant of Prague planters is particularly vulnerable to damage. Do you best to match the hue with an inexpensive nail polish and make repairs as best as you are able.			If you work carefully, your planter will look as good as the day it was made! To clean in the future, use a soft bristle brush and, if needed, a gentle spray of warm water.
Not Just for Plants! Ideas for Using Headvases and Planters Don't limit yourself to using them as planters -- they make terrible planters anyway since there's no drainage. Do use them as vases, filled with cut flowers from your garden, wildflowers and foliage from roadsides, or -- if you must -- artificial flowers. Place one by the front door, in your office or on your desk and fill with holy cards and small prayer booklets to share with visitors.			Use them to hold rosaries. Place one in the bathroom to hold your scapular while you're in the shower. They make lovely gifts for new mothers, those who are ill, and elderly shut in's. You can personalize your head vase by filling it with an assortment of Catholic sacramentals -- a rosary, a scapular, a prayer card. Head vases and planters are relatively inexpensive when you find them at garage and estate sales, so stock up when you can find them. One of our colleagues, Karen, collects them for her pastor who loves to bring them along on sick calls. Why not start your own ministry of cheer? The photos below are an example of some head vases and planters that we have found and others that have been available on eBay. Click on the images to enlarge. If you have a special head vase -- or a story to share about how you use these, email us.
SELLERS' HINT: As you'll see from some of the photos taken from eBay ads (with permission), the setting of your planter or head vase does matter! An inexpensive piece of black or grey poster board makes an excellent background without any distractions. Well worth the 79 cent investment! Natural lighting is always best, but side lighting works well, too to help bring out the nuances of the sculpting. Avoid using a direct flash which can wash out colors.
Are these head vases for sale? Yes and No. Yes: The ones directly to the right and the row below are available. Click on the link to learn more and buy if you wish. Also check the planter and head vase category in our shop for new ones. No: The head vases in our gallery section represent a photo archive to help you identify and appreciate the types available. They are not for sale because we don't have them!	Our Lady of the Rosary - 9 1/2"			Nancy Pew Madonna and Child			Nancy Pew Madonna and Child
Rayond Windsor Mosaic Glaze		Sacred Heart - Nancy Pew		Saint Anthony		Lefton Infant of Prague
Photo Archive of Head Vases


1. Shafford Japan Madonna Headvase. Decorative gold accents around neck, sleeves, shoulders, back. Gold sticker marked Styled Number 4155 Approx. 5 1/2 inch. tall and 3 1/2 inch. wide.	2. A larger lustre finish Madonna measuring 9" tall. Probably made in Japan	3. 6" tall, this Madonna was marked 4/56 and is likely by Napco	4. Matte finish INARCO JAPAN E322 6 1/2" HIGH	5. 6" Made in Japan
6. 5/8" high, 3 7/8" wide, 3 3/8" deep. Numbered FR3933/P, indicating Napco	7. Unmarked	8. Unmarked, magnificent handpainted finish. Our best guess is that this beautiful head vase was made in Italy.	9. Classic Nancy Pew Head vase. 6" H - 4" L - 3 1/4" W. It has a Sticker on Bottom with: GIFTWARES CO, NANCY PEW, JAPAN	10. INARCO White Matte Finish 6" tall, is 4 1/2" wide and 3 3/4" deep.
11.Unmarked. 6" tall approx 4.5" wide	12. Hull Head vase. 7" high by about 5" wide and about 4.5" deep.	13. Rare Sacred Heart of Jesus. Unmarked	14. 6" tall. Possibly Lenox	15. 7" tall. Artmark. Unglazed except for interior
16. 7" tall. Made in Japan	17. Lefton gold stamped 1731. 8" tall and 3" deep		18. Hull USA F61. 9" tall and 6.5" wide	19. Red marked Made in Japan
20. Lefton. 8" tall, 3 1/8" wide, 3 1/8" long, has the paper Lefton sticker on the bottom also numbers 7337.9.99		21. 10 inches tall. Gum label Art Mart Chicago Ill , Made in Japan.		22. Haeger. 9" high, 6" in depth and 5" wide
23. Artmark Red stamped Made in Japan. 10.5" tall	24. 12" Hull Pottery	25. Unmarked. Possibly McCoy	26. Rubens. 8" tall. Three distinct markings: Rubens red foil sticker, Rubens black stamp and R No. 193	27. Unmarked 7-1/4" high, 4-1/4" wide and 4-3/4" deep
28. Relpo A1470 10.5" Tall		29. No Markings but an example of Artmark. 10" tall	30. Unmarked. Resembles Hull Pottery, but probably not due to difference in glaze 4-3/4 x 5 x 6 inches high	31. St. Joseph No markings
31. Samson Import Company dated and numbered 453M 7.27	32. Samson Import 1958 #346. 8 1/2" tall	33. Copyrighted The Haeger Potteries, Inc. Malcomb, Ill. & on bottom stamped in blue Haeger USA. 9" tall, 6" deep & approx. 5 1/2" across	34. Red marked Made in Japan 7" tall	35. 8" high Marked 4157
37. No markings	38. No Markings 8 3/4” tall x 4” wide and 3 3/4” deep	39. No markings	40. Haeger Pottery 8 1/2" tall	41. 6" tall No Markings
42. Lefton AR5884 7 1/2" tall	43. Thorton Ceramics - TEXAS - M2	44. Hull Pottery in a pink glaze, measuring 7.5 inches tall, 5.5 inches wide and 5.5 inches deep.	45. Hull Pottery in an ivory glaze, measuring 11.5 inches tall, 4.5 inches wide and 5.5 inches deep
46. Royal Windsor 8" tall	47. Hull #26 Soft pink glaze6 3/4" tall - 5 1/4" wide and 5 1/2" deep.	48. Unusual light up planter 11 1/2" tall. H. 3806 A. L. Randall co. Haegar Am. Ceramic. USA	49. ROYAL HAEGER. USA. No. RO 17. Satue is 11" High, 4 1/2" Across Base. Planter is 4" Oval, 4" Deep	50. Inarco, Japan. 6-1/4" tall, 4-1/4" deep and 4-1/2" across.
51. Lefton. 7 1.2" tall Includes hole for wall mounting	52. Relpo, original ceramic, Chicago, Ill., made in Japan. Also a stamp that says-Samson Import Co., 1959, #45311. 6 1/2"	54. Sanmyro Japan 6 1/2"	55. Red marked Made in Japan	56. Made in Japan sticker
57. Napco. 8" tall. Marked National Potteries Co. Cleveland, O Made in Japan. CR 4895 Napco 1960	53. Unmarked	58. Stafford. 6 1/4" tall	59. CR 33418" Copyrighted by Napco. Dated 1958. 5 1/4" tall.	60. Relpo 6743 11" tall.
61. Samson Import Co. 1963 Number 5408 9" tall	62. 10" tall. Unmarked	63. Rubens, Made in Japan, number 316, 6.25"	65. 9" tall. Unmarked	66. Norcrest
67. 8" tall. Unmarked	68. 8" tall. Unmarked	69. Unmarked. Features a hole for wall mounting	70. 5" tall. Unmarked, but probably Norcrest based on the delicate fingers	71. 8.5" Tall. Unmarked
72. Enesco. Dates to 1940s	73. Numbered 4152. Likely to be Lefton	74. Lejo Japan. 7" tall	75. Napcoware number R-7075, 5 1/2"	76. Unmarked. Number 4156. Probably Lefton
77. 4 1/2" tall with impasto porcelain flowers. Unmarked	78. Unmarked	79. Unmarked. Hard to find head of Christ	81. Unmarked	82. Red marked Made in Japan
83. St Joseph. 10.5" tall. Marked B-1345	84. Hull Pottery. 11 1/2" tall. St. Francis of Assisi. A rare planter.	85. Artmark Japan. 8" tall. Watch out for the red paint on these! Very fragile.	86. Red stamp Made in Japan. Unusual because of the bean pot configuration and mauve vestment coloration.
87. Unmarked. 10 1/4" Textured vestment. Stable red coloration.	88. Numbered R5838. Stands 8 1/4" tall.	88 b. Unmarked. Likely Relpo.	89. Rubens 178 Japan marked. 8" tall.	90. Haeger. 11" tall.
91. Rare Saint Anthony. 8 1/2". No marking		92. 10.5" tall. No marking	93. 7 1/2" tall. No markings	94. 6 1/2" tall. No markings
95. 6 1/4" No markings	96. 5" high. Lego	98. Rare Rare Rare! Miraculous Medal planter. 6" Lefton China/Hand Painted/Reg US Pat Off." It numbered KW579	99. Rubens Japan. Sticker that reads" Rubens Originals Japan Los Angeles. 201MC.	100. No information available
101. 8" tall. Red marked Made in Japan.		101. Unmarked	102. No information available	103. No information available
104. Made in Italy	105. No information available	106. No information	107. No Information	108. No information
109. No Information	110. No information	111. No information	12. Camark 13" tall	113. Hull Pottery
114. Napcoware R 7077	115. Right Inarco E 2000	116. Infant of Prague Red Japan	117. Lefton	118. Napco
119. Norcrest E 77	120. Quality Japan	121. Ruben 8" Tall		122. Saint Jude
123. No information	124. No information	125. No information	126. No information	127. No information
128. No information		129. No information		130. Telefora
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Please share your favorite head vases and planters with us. If you can help identify any of the planters above, we'd be grateful. Let us know how you use them in your Catholic home.