Normally, it’s a straight-forward matter to decide whether an object is a vase or a piece of sculpture. Occasionally, however, it’s not quite so simple. Take the West German piece above, made in the 1960’s by ceramicist Rudi Stahl. One could put a flower stem (or two) into each little spout. Would that do the flowers (or the vase, for that matter) any favor?
It seems the best solution—in this case, at least—is to find just the right shelf. Not too high. Not too low. And enjoy Stahl’s interesting design and the great effort required to execute it.