Today is "All Hallows' Eve"—Hallowe'en—the night before the important Christian Holyday of All Saints' Day. All Saints' Day began in the Fourth Century as a commemoration of Christian martyrs. By the Ninth Century, Christian communities in England were celebrating All Saints' Day on 1 November—a practice which was soon thereafter mandated worldwide by Pope Gregory IV. All Saints' Day (a Holy Day of Obligation for Roman Catholics) is the solemnity at which all saints—known or unknown—are commemorated. In the Christian faith, a saint is simply any soul which has reached Heaven (and is with God). Although we (mere mortals) don't always know who has already reached Heaven or not, the Church has designated certain souls as having "made it"—based on irrefutable proof of that saint's intervention in multiple earthly miracles (answered prayers). Some saints have been "canonized" (that is, added to the Church's list of saints) while other, lesser known saints are not publicly documented (which does not lessen their saintly status).
All Hallows' Eve is the celebration—sometimes accompanied by mischief and merrymaking—the night before the holyday. In recent decades, it has become more secular in nature, focusing on the macabre or the supernatural. Indeed, many people today do not know Allhalloween's Christian origins.
The English Arts & Crafts vase was made in the Twenties or Thirties by Pilkington Royal Lancastrian. Its globular, rose bowl form reminds me of a pumpkin. The dripping, orange "Uranium Glaze" also adds to its gourd-like appearance. Click on the photo above to learn more about it.
Though our Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed, LEO Design is still alive and well! Please visit our on-line store where we continue to sell Handsome Gifts (www.LEOdesignNYC.com).
We also can be found in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania at The Antique Center of Strabane (www.antiquecenterofstrabane.com).
Or call to arrange to visit our Pittsburgh showroom (by private appointment only). 917-446-4248