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William IV Porcelain

WILLIAM IV STYLE

It was unexpected that, at the age of 64, William IV was crowned king of England. He had two older brothers, yet the death of Prince Frederick put him in line for the British throne when George IV died in 1830. His reign was brief, as he died on June 20, 1837, but it was a pivotal time of change, with parliamentary reform leading to the present-day constitutional monarchy. Antique William IV–style furniture reflects this period of transition, with forms that bridged the neoclassicism of the preceding Regency style and the more extravagant Victorian style that would follow.

Inspired by ancient Greece and Rome, William IV designs were often more imposing than Regency furniture and featured decorative attributes. There were sofas balanced on lion’s feet and tables with brass fittings. But furnishings of this period were largely marked by straight lines and subdued ornamentation compared to those of the George IV era. William IV had an unassuming way about him and was much more formal, whereas the ruler who preceded him was a king of extravagance. George IV had an affinity for French decor and was heavily invested in overhauling the private residences at Windsor Castle.

Carvings on William IV four-poster beds and cabinets included scrolling shapes, lotus leaves and acanthus, while popular pieces like tilt-top tables and upholstered seating on caster legs provided flexible interiors. Richly toned woods like mahogany and rosewood were used for sideboards, bedposts boasting reeded details and dining chairs with intricate chair backs and turned front legs.

William IV left no legitimate heirs, so his young niece, Victoria, became queen. She would lead an era of taste in which the innovations of the Industrial Revolution allowed for manufacturing showier furniture to fill elaborate interiors. With its comparatively refined forms and restrained designs, William IV style was a pause before a time of radical aesthetic change.

Find a collection of authentic William IV tables, armchairs, decorative objects and other 19th-century furniture and antiques on 1stDibs.

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Style: William IV
An exquisite and rare early 19t C Spode cabinet cup and saucer circa 1830
Located in Central England, GB
An exquisite and rare early 19t C Spode cabinet cup and saucer. This beautiful and richly decorated Spode cabinet cup and saucer were made at this high quality English porcelain fact...
Category

Mid-19th Century English Antique William IV Porcelain

Materials

Porcelain

An exquisite and rare early 19th century Spode cabinet cup and saucer circa 1830
Located in Central England, GB
An exquisite and rare early 19th century Spode cabinet cup and saucer. This beautiful and richly decorated Spode cabinet cup and saucer were made at this high quality English porcela...
Category

Early 19th Century English Antique William IV Porcelain

Materials

Porcelain

Early 19th C Copeland porcelain hand painted fruit and flower cabinet plate
Located in Central England, GB
This superb early 19th century porcelain cabinet plate is very finely hand painted with a rich central display of exotic fruit and foliage over a white ground boardered with a delica...
Category

1830s English Antique William IV Porcelain

Materials

Porcelain

English Burl Walnut & Figural Cherub Wedgewood Letter Box with Mounts, C. 1850
Located in Hollywood, SC
English Burl walnut and figural cherub wedge-wood hinged letter box with compartmentalized fitted interior, locking mechanism with key, decorative circular rope motif, and original e...
Category

1850s English Antique William IV Porcelain

Materials

Brass

William IVth John Ridgway PAIR Porcelain Plates Hand Painted Botanical, Ca 1830
Located in Lincoln, Lincolnshire
This is a beautiful pair of very decorative, Porcelain Botanical plates by John Ridgway, of Shelton, Hanley, Staffordshire Potteries, England, dating to the William IVth period of th...
Category

Early 19th Century English Antique William IV Porcelain

Materials

Porcelain

Pair of Bloor Derby Urns, Painted with Flowers on a Pale Blue Ground
Located in Montreal, QC
This sumptuous pair of campana form are highly decorative. The pale blue ground and heavy gilt fruiting vine handles set off the reserves of fruit and flowers to great advantage. The...
Category

1830s English Antique William IV Porcelain

Materials

Porcelain

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Sevres Hand Painted Matched Porcelain Cabinet Cup and Saucer
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
A fine antique French matched hand painted porcelain cabinet cup and saucer painted with various scenes by Sevres and dating from the latter 19th century. ...
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Late 19th Century French Antique William IV Porcelain

Materials

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Spode Indian Tree Cup and Saucer
Located in Asheville, NC
This is an absolutely fabulous antique Copeland Spode Indian tree cup and saucer. It is a spectacular example of Spode porcelain with rust and orange...
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18th Century and Earlier English Antique William IV Porcelain

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Antique Chinese Cup & Saucer, circa 1840
Located in New Orleans, LA
Antique Chinese cup & saucer, circa 1840.
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Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique William IV Porcelain

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Herend Porcelain Figural Asparagus Covered Box Model No. 6070/C
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine figural porcelain covered box. By Herend. In the form of a bundle of asparagus tied together with a pink ribbon. Model No. 6070/C. Simply a wonderful piece of Here...
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20th Century Hungarian William IV Porcelain

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19th Century Meissen Hand Painted Cup and Saucer
Located in Lambertville, NJ
Diminutive whimsical 19th century Meissen cup and saucer. The purple trim with gilt decoration with birds and insects. The saucer is 5 inches in...
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19th Century German Antique William IV Porcelain

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Early 19th Century Biedermeier Period Topographical Porcelain Cup and Saucer
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine antique German Biedermeier period topographical porcelain cup and saucer. The front decorated with a finely hand painted depiction of ...
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19th Century German Antique William IV Porcelain

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Gilt Bronze Mounted Sevres Jewel Box and Cover with Multi-Panel Scenes
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful 19th century gilt bronze mounted sevres jewel box and cover with multi-panel scenes. Of cartouche shape, the top painted with two maidens reclining in a garden attended b...
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1880s French Antique William IV Porcelain

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Heart-Shaped Zsolnay Lidded Box in Cream-Colored Porcelain with Flowers
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Heart-shaped Zsolnay lidded box in cream-colored porcelain with hand-painted flowers, butterflies and gold decoration. Late 20th century. Measures: 12 x 6.5 cm. In excellent cond...
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Late 20th Century Hungarian William IV Porcelain

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Pair of Jacob Petit Porcelain Flask, circa 1830-1840
Located in Paris, FR
Pair of polychrome porcelain baluster flasks. The bottles are decorated on an azure blue background with rocailles elements in combed gold. A fine decoration of garlands of polychrom...
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1830s French Antique William IV Porcelain

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Ridgway Porcelain Teacup and Saucer, Blue Flowers and Gilt, Regency, Ca 1825
Located in London, GB
This is a beautiful teacup and saucer made around 1825 by Ridgway. It is decorated with the very popular pattern no. 2/1000: a cobalt blue ground with rich gilding and monochrome blu...
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1820s English Antique William IV Porcelain

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19th Century Samson Paris Porcelain Trinket Box
Located in Dallas, TX
Presenting a gorgeous French 19th century Samson Paris Porcelain Trinket Box probably by Edme Samson. Marked on the base with “Made in France” and unmistakably in the style and manner of Samson. The lid features hand painted floral bouquets on an ivory porcelain background with gold edging, surrounded by a sky blue lid with gold web or crackling effect.. The lid is hinged and the lid and base are edged in floral gilt metal mounts with Fleur De Lis clasp. It sits on 4 gilt metal or ormolu feet. The sides are likewise hand decorated. This wonderful antique hand painted box is just bursting with History. Inspired by Edme Samson of Samson & Co., Paris. we believe (based upon the markings and natural aging) that it was made between 1880– 1890 in France and was meant to resemble an antique of a much earlier period. It is very similar to Sevres pieces with it’s color, decoration and design. Samson specialized in reproducing antiques from the 1600 and 1700s. One of his most interesting works was his Heraldic or Armorial pieces. With this medium sized box, he was not only copying the larger porcelain caskets or coffin boxes...
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Late 19th Century French Antique William IV Porcelain

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Ormolu

Bloor Derby Porcelain Breakfast Cup with Plate, Gilt with Purple Flowers, Ca1825
Located in London, GB
This is a very charming "breakfast" teacup and saucer with a plate, made by Derby / Bloor Derby between 1806 and 1825. It is likely that the set was potted between 1806 and 1825, then decorated and brought to the market around 1825. A breakfast cup is a large teacup...
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1820s English Antique William IV Porcelain

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Previously Available Items
Ridgway Set of 4 Plates, Daisy Moulded, Green with Fruit Paintings, ca 1835
Located in London, GB
This is a beautiful set of 4 plates made by Ridgway in about 1835. The plates have the characteristic "daisy" moulding, green and gilt patterned rims and beautiful hand painted fruit...
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1830s English Antique William IV Porcelain

Materials

Porcelain

Ridgway Porcelain Plate, Daisy Moulded, Green with Flowers and Fruits, ca 1830
Located in London, GB
This is a stunning plate made by Ridgway in about 1830. The plate has the characteristic "daisy" moulding, a green and gilt rim and a beautiful hand painted arrangement of flowers an...
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1830s English Antique William IV Porcelain

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Porcelain

Ridgway Plate, Daisy Moulded, Periwinkle Blue with Yellow Flower, ca 1830
Located in London, GB
This is a stunning plate made by Ridgway in about 1830. The plate has the characteristic "daisy" moulding, a periwinkle blue and gilt rim and a beautiful hand painted yellow and purp...
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1830s English Antique William IV Porcelain

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Chamberlains Worcester Meat Platter, Green, Brazilian Order of the Rose, ca 1829
Located in London, GB
This is a historically important meat platter made by Chamberlain's Worcester between 1829 and 1837. It has an emerald green ground with floral reserves and the Collar and Medallion of the Brazilian Imperial Order of the Rose with the motto "Amor e Fidelidad". The Chamberlain factory was founded in the 1780s by Robert Chamberlain, who was responsible for the decoration department in the famous Worcester pottery during the Dr Wall period. He set up his own factory with his son Humphrey, initially buying up stock from Turner's Caughley factory for decoration, but then around 1794 starting to produce their own porcelain. By the year 1800 they had built up a strong reputation, producing wonderful tea and dinner ware for the British and European nobility and becoming a mighty competitor of both the Worcester/Flight & Barr and Grainger factories. In the 1840s the factory merged back with Worcester, which later also bought Grainger and was formed into the later Royal Worcester. This is a historically important meat platter that would have belonged to a large dinner service. It has a beautiful emerald green ground with flower reserves, filled with fine hand painted English garden flowers. A striking feature is the Collar and Medallion of the Imperial Brazilian...
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1830s English Antique William IV Porcelain

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Porcelain

William Iv porcelain for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique William IV porcelain for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 19th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage porcelain created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include serveware, ceramics, silver and glass, decorative objects and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with ceramic, porcelain and other materials. If you’re shopping for used William IV porcelain made in a specific country, there are England, Europe, and United Kingdom pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original porcelain, popular names associated with this style include Bloor Derby, and Spode. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for porcelain differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $606 and tops out at $5,800 while the average work can sell for $1,500.

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