Uruguay was theworld’s most accomplished soccer power in the early 1900’s. The smallSouth American country won back-to-back Olympic gold medals at the 1924and 1928 Amsterdam Games before triumphing in the inaugural 1930 WorldCup (and later in the 1950 World Cup). “La Celeste” (The Sky Blue) alsowon six Copa Americas in an 11-year run (1916-26) to earn the title asthe best football team in South America.

At the 1924Paris Games, Uruguay dominated its opponents with an aggregate 13-2 goaldifferential. They shut out the U.S. in the opener before beating hostFrance, Holland and ultimately Switzerland in the finals. Presented hereis a rare 1924 Paris Olympics gold medal winner’s Sèvres vaseawarded to a member of the Uruguayan National Football Team. His 1924Paris Olympic participation medal is also included. The name of theplayer will be revealed to the winning bidder.

Designed by talented artist M.O. Guillonnet and executed by Bracquemond at the world-famous porcelain factory of Sèvres,this exquisite porcelain vase measures 33.5cm (13.25”) tall and isdesigned with lovely golden laurel branches hand-painted on a Frenchblue background. The four pâte-sur-pâte roundels (each around11cm in diameter) feature the sports of Football (Soccer), Rowing, Rugbyand Diving with a gray background and green perimeter. The neck has anarray of eight aeronautical figures and narrows to a diameter of 6.5cm(2.5”). Its total weight is 55 ounces (1537g). The very bottom isstamped with the appropriate hallmarks: "MADE IN FRANCE"; "O.D.V.GUILLONNET"; "BRACQUEMOND"; and two logos "S 1924 DN" and "RF DECORE ASEVRES 1924".

The quality of Sèvres porcelainis hard to fathom, often leaving collectors in disbelief that such amajestic piece of artisanry can stay so well-preserved for what is nowalmost a century. This one certainly lives up to its expectation. It isbelieved that only 309 of these special vases were made, and manydifferent versions were created to account for the various Olympicevents. They were presented only to gold medal winners, with some endingup in the hands of dignitaries or set aside for institutions. Manywinners, reportedly, received their vases well after the Games (oftenfrom the French Embassy if a competitor was overseas) because thenecessary production numbers were not met in time. For more information,see page 804 of the Paris Olympic Games Official Report.