The result of thousands of trials conducted over nearly five years, The Portland Vase is a testament to the tenacity, persistence and experimental nature of our founder. Josiah set out to copy the first-century Barberini Vase using his new invention, Jasper, to demonstrate that contemporary manufacturing techniques and skilled craftsmen could match the pinnacle of Roman antiquities. The resulting vase proved to be such an accurate copy that when the original Barberini Vase was accidentally smashed while on display at the British Museum, it was Josiah’s Jasperware copy that was used to help piece the cameo glass vase back together.