Royal Copenhagen Gargoyle
Vintage 1940s Danish Vases
Ceramic
People Also Browsed
Late 20th Century Chinese Ceramics
Ceramic
1990s American Other Contemporary Art
Gold Leaf
Mid-20th Century Danish Modern Wall-mounted Sculptures
Iron
Mid-20th Century English Serving Bowls
Ironstone
Antique Early 1900s Chinese Qing Ceramics
Porcelain
Vintage 1970s Italian Brutalist Fountains
Other
Antique 15th Century and Earlier Chinese Antiquities
Stoneware
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Planters, Cachepots and Jardinières
Ceramic
Antique 19th Century Japanese Vases
Porcelain
Antique Late 19th Century British Vases
Ceramic
20th Century Japanese Meiji Ceramics
Enamel
Antique 1880s Chinese Chinese and East Asian Rugs
Silk
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Table Lamps
Bronze
Antique Late 18th Century Italian Baroque Paintings
Canvas
Vintage 1970s American Folk Art Decorative Bowls
Pottery
Antique 1880s Chinese Table Lamps
Pottery
Finding the Right vases for You
Whether it’s a Chinese Han dynasty glazed ceramic wine vessel, a work of Murano glass or a hand-painted Scandinavian modern stoneware piece, a fine vase brings a piece of history into your space as much as it adds a sophisticated dynamic.
Like sculptures or paintings, antique and vintage vases are considered works of fine art. Once offered as tributes to ancient rulers, vases continue to be gifted to heads of state today. Over time, decorative porcelain vases have become family heirlooms to be displayed prominently in our homes — loved pieces treasured from generation to generation.
The functional value of vases is well known. They were traditionally utilized as vessels for carrying dry goods or liquids, so some have handles and feature an opening at the top (where they flare back out). While artists have explored wildly sculptural alternatives over time, the most conventional vase shape is characterized by a bulbous base and a body with shoulders where the form curves inward.
Owing to their intrinsic functionality, vases are quite possibly versatile in ways few other art forms can match. They’re typically taller than they are wide. Some have a neck that offers height and is ideal for the stems of cut flowers. To pair with your mid-century modern decor, the right vase will be an elegant receptacle for leafy snake plants on your teak dining table, or, in the case of welcoming guests on your doorstep, a large ceramic floor vase for long tree branches or sticks — perhaps one crafted in the Art Nouveau style — works wonders.
Interior designers include vases of every type, size and style in their projects — be the canvas indoors or outdoors — often introducing a splash of color and a range of textures to an entryway or merely calling attention to nature’s asymmetries by bringing more organically shaped decorative objects into a home.
On 1stDibs, you can browse our collection of vases by material, including ceramic, glass, porcelain and more. Sizes range from tiny bud vases to massive statement pieces and every size in between.