Head Vases and Planters

What’s a head vase? 

Some call them head vases and others call them planters, but these charming ceramic creations are essentially a hollowed out statue with room in the back for flowers, taking their name from the common form of a head or bust. There are others that are full figured and these are usually called planters.

America prospered after World War II, and found that Japan was the perfect location for cheap manufacturing with the most favorable rate of exchange with the dollar to the yen. Ceramics were a popular commodity and head vases were used by florists and could be found in five and dime shops throughout the nation. While most of these were whimsical designs, there was an unending variety of religious themed planters as well.

Not all were produced overseas, but as the cost of labor in the United States rose, production  moved to Japan – where copyrights were not enforced. The head vases created in the USA mostly date to the 1950s, while those made in Japan were created in the 1960s.

With the continuing increase in “religious materialism” due to mass production, head vases and planters with Catholic themes were became common in nearly every Catholic home.

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 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.

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.

Then

Now

Please Read: The head vases shown below are a photo archive provided to promote the appreciation of this type of Catholic artifact.

They are not available for sale. I have provided links throughout to help you find some.

You may also see our current inventory, click here. 

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 Japan3. 6″ tall, this Madonna was marked 4/56 and is likely by Napco4. Matte finish INARCO JAPAN E322  6 1/2″ HIGH

5. 6″ Made in Japan6.  5/8″ high, 3 7/8″ wide, 3 3/8″ deep. Numbered FR3933/P, indicating Napco7. Unmarked8. 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, JAPAN10. INARCO White Matte Finish  6″ tall, is 4 1/2″ wide and 3 3/4″ deep.11.Unmarked. 6″ tall approx 4.5″ wide12. Hull Head vase. 7″ high by about 5″ wide and about 4.5″ deep.13. Rare Sacred Heart of Jesus. Unmarked14. 6″ tall. Possibly Lenox15. 7″ tall. Artmark. Unglazed except for interior16. 7″ tall. Made in Japan17. Lefton gold stamped 1731. 8″ tall and 3″ deep18. Hull USA F61. 9″ tall and 6.5″ wide19. Red marked Made in Japan20. 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″ wide23. Artmark Red stamped Made in Japan. 10.5″ tall24. 12″ Hull Pottery25. Unmarked. Possibly McCoy

26. Rubens. 8″ tall. Three distinct markings: Rubens red foil sticker, Rubens black stamp and R No. 19327. Unmarked 7-1/4″ high, 4-1/4″ wide and 4-3/4″ deep28. Relpo A1470 10.5″ Tall29. No Markings but an example of Artmark. 10″ tall30. Unmarked. Resembles Hull Pottery, but probably not due to difference in glaze 4-3/4 x 5 x 6 inches high31. St. Joseph No markings31. Samson Import Company dated and numbered 453M 7.2732. 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″ across34. Red marked Made in Japan 7″ tall35. 8″ high Marked 4157

37. No markings38. No Markings 8 3/4” tall x 4” wide and 3 3/4” deep39. No markings40. Haeger Pottery 8 1/2″ tall41.  6″ tall No Markings42. Lefton AR5884 7 1/2″ tall43. Thorton Ceramics – TEXAS – M244. 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 deep46. Royal Windsor 8″ tall47. 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. USA49. ROYAL HAEGER. USA. No. RO 17. Satue is 11″ High, 4 1/2″ Across Base. Planter is 4″ Oval, 4″ Deep50. 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 mounting52. 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 Japan56. Made in Japan sticker57. Napco. 8″ tall. Marked National Potteries Co. Cleveland, O Made in Japan. CR 4895 Napco 196053. Unmarked58. Stafford. 6 1/4″ tall59. CR 33418″ Copyrighted by Napco. Dated 1958.

5 1/4″ tall.60. Relpo 6743 11″ tall.61. Samson Import Co. 1963 Number 5408 9″ tall62. 10″ tall. Unmarked63. Rubens, Made in Japan, number 316, 6.25″65. 9″ tall. Unmarked66. Norcrest67. 8″ tall. Unmarked68. 8″ tall. Unmarked69. Unmarked. Features a hole for wall mounting70. 5″ tall. Unmarked, but probably Norcrest based on the delicate fingers71. 8.5″ Tall. Unmarked72. Enesco. Dates to 1940s73. Numbered 4152. Likely to be Lefton74. Lejo Japan. 7″ tall75. Napcoware number      R-7075, 5 1/2″76. Unmarked. Number 4156. Probably Lefton77. 4 1/2″ tall with impasto porcelain flowers. Unmarked78. Unmarked

79. Unmarked. Hard to find head of Christ81. Unmarked82. Red marked Made in Japan83. St Joseph. 10.5″ tall. Marked B-134584. 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 marking92. 10.5″ tall. No marking93. 7 1/2″ tall. No markings94. 6 1/2″ tall. No markings95. 6 1/4″ No markings96. 5″ high. Lego98. Rare Rare Rare! Miraculous Medal planter. 6″ Lefton China/Hand Painted/Reg US Pat Off.” It numbered KW57999. Rubens Japan. Sticker that reads” Rubens Originals Japan Los Angeles. 201MC.100.  No information available101. 8″ tall. Red marked Made in Japan.101. Unmarked102. No information available103. No information available104. Made in Italy105. No information available106. No information107. No Information108. No information109. No Information110. No information111. No information12. Camark 13″ tall113. Hull Pottery114. Napcoware R 7077115. Right Inarco E 2000116. Infant of Prague Red Japan117. Lefton118. Napco119. Norcrest E 77120. Quality Japan121. Ruben 8″ Tall122. Saint Jude123. No information124. No information125. No information126. No information127. No information128. No information129. No information130. Telefora

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.

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?type=3&campid=5336019670&toolid=10001&customid=&ext=Madonna+Headvase&satitle=Madonna+Headvase

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