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Modern Pottery

MODERN STYLE

The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw sweeping social change and major scientific advances — both of which contributed to a new aesthetic: modernism. Rejecting the rigidity of Victorian artistic conventions, modernists sought a new means of expression. References to the natural world and ornate classical embellishments gave way to the sleek simplicity of the Machine Age. Architect Philip Johnson characterized the hallmarks of modernism as “machine-like simplicity, smoothness or surface [and] avoidance of ornament.”

Early practitioners of modernist design include the De Stijl (“The Style”) group, founded in the Netherlands in 1917, and the Bauhaus School, founded two years later in Germany.

Followers of both groups produced sleek, spare designs — many of which became icons of daily life in the 20th century. The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics. While Bauhaus principals Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe created furniture from mass-produced, chrome-plated steel, American visionaries like Charles and Ray Eames worked in materials as novel as molded plywood and fiberglass. Today, Breuer’s Wassily chair, Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chaircrafted with his romantic partner, designer Lilly Reich — and the Eames lounge chair are emblems of progressive design and vintage originals are prized cornerstones of collections.

It’s difficult to overstate the influence that modernism continues to wield over designers and architects — and equally difficult to overstate how revolutionary it was when it first appeared a century ago. But because modernist furniture designs are so simple, they can blend in seamlessly with just about any type of décor. Don’t overlook them.

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Style: Modern
Vivika and Otto Heino Monumental Pottery /Ceramic Studio Vase, Signed, Dated
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This is a great size vase signed by Vivika and Otto and dated 91. Is a little over 14 inches diameter and just touch under 12 inches, like 7/8.
Category

1990s American Modern Pottery

Materials

Ceramic, Pottery

Ceramic Vase by Suzy Goodelman for Craft Associates Furniture, 1911-SG
Located in Oak Harbor, OH
Designer: Suzy Goodelman Distributor: Craft Associates Furniture Period/Model: New Specs: Clay dimensions H 11.75" (29.85cm) W 8.5" (21.59c...
Category

2010s American Modern Pottery

Materials

Pottery

Modern Black and White Vases by Suzy Goodelman for Craft Associates Furniture
Located in Oak Harbor, OH
Designer: Suzy Goodelman Distributor: Craft Associates Furniture Period/model: New Specs: Clay Dimensions: White vase H 17" (43.18 cm) W ...
Category

2010s American Modern Pottery

Materials

Clay

Shapely Pair of West German Roth Keramik Art Pottery 'Fat Lava' Guitar Vases
Located in San Francisco, CA
A shapely pair of West German Roth Keramik art pottery 'fat lava' guitar vases with red glaze; each with square mouth above a bulbous body all in a thick ...
Category

1970s German Vintage Modern Pottery

Christopher Carter Oxidised Textured Studio Pottery Vase
By Christopher Carter
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
An absolutely stunning one-off studio pottery stoneware vase decorated in textured oxidised glazes by Chris Carter (b.1945). The vase has flat cut bands in a wrythen twist design around the body flattened slightly to form an oval shape with a open mouth shaped rim. Decorated in brown glazes with a lava style textured surface with fine bubbling. The vase has an impressed artists seal mark to the base. Christopher James...
Category

1990s British Modern Pottery

Materials

Pottery, Stoneware

Japanese Shoji Hamada Inspired Bamboo Studio Plate
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
A stylish vintage Japanese studio pottery plate decorated with a bamboo design possibly by Shoji Hamada and certainly inspired by him. The wax res...
Category

20th Century Japanese Modern Pottery

Materials

Pottery

Modern Ceramic Vase by Suzy Goodelman for Craft Associates Furniture,  1910-SG
Located in Oak Harbor, OH
Designer: Suzy Goodelman Distributor: Craft Associates Furniture Period/Model: New Specs: Clay Dimensions  H 17" (43.18cm) W 6.5" (16.51cm) ...
Category

2010s American Modern Pottery

Materials

Clay

Studio Art Pottery Vase Incised Sgraffito Signed
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Studio art Pottery vase incised and sgraffito modern design Signed
Category

Late 20th Century Modern Pottery

Kenneth Breeze Studio Pottery Chess Sculpture Installation
By Kenneth Breeze
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
An unusual and stylish Kenneth Breeze Studio Pottery chess pieces and board sculptural installation comprising of six chess pieces and a hand-painted cut-out board. The chess pieces ...
Category

Early 2000s Modern Pottery

Materials

Pottery

Richard Uhlemeyer Vase and Jar Ceramic German Pottery Green and Terra Cotta Red
Located in Hamburg, DE
Vase and jar created by Richard Uhlemeyer, German ceramist, beautiful glaze in dark green and terra cotta red shades, Vase size 16cm diameter x 16 cm hight Jar size 16cm diameter ...
Category

1940s German Vintage Modern Pottery

Materials

Pottery, Ceramic

Cubist Style Contemporary Teapot by Deborah Schwartzkopf
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
A noted contemporary Seattle artist/potter has had numerous shows all over the world. Featured on the cover of "American Craft" in 2015. Here is how DS ...
Category

2010s American Modern Pottery

Materials

Ceramic

Eugenio Pattarino Ceramic Charger
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
A fantastic and rare ceramic charger by Eugenio Pattarino. Vibrant red color and Classic Italian Mid-Century style is represented very well in this piece. Eugenio Pattarino was born in 1885 and passed away in 1971. He was a master sculptor and model maker and taught in art schools in both Venice and Frankfort, Germany. In the late 1940s he opened his own studio in Florence. His factory used both “EPF” and “CAPEF” (Artistic Ceramics Professor Eugene Pattarino) to mark his pieces. His studio is best known for its large religious statutes, many of which reside in a number of churches in Italy and the U.S. In the 1950s Pattarino had more than fifty artists working for him and some among them were considered the best ceramists in Italy. At this time Eugenio was joined by his son, Ranier, and the company began concentrating on more eclectic themes. These pieces, when new, were quite expensive when they were purchased but almost never garner anywhere near their original cost at today's auctions. The factory claimed that the Vatican used Pattarino’s ceramics as gifts to famous visitors, including President John Kennedy, Andre Gide and Paul Sartre. Unfortunately there is no proof to back these claims. As a matter of fact I have discovered that the Pattarino name is almost generally unknown in Italy and even lesser known in Florence. His name is, however, recognized here in the United States and most of the factory’s output can be found in the U.S. where it was imported. In November 1966 the Arno River flooded its bank and inundated most of Florence. Work to restore damaged art...
Category

1950s Italian Vintage Modern Pottery

Waylande Gregory Ceramic Jar with Sgraffito Decoration
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
An interesting ceramic lidded jar by Waylande Gregory with sgraffito decoration.
Category

1950s American Vintage Modern Pottery

Large Stoneware Ceramic Cachepots or Jardiniere from La Borne, circa 1950
Located in Neuilly-en- sancerre, FR
La Borne, circa 1950. Attributed to François Guillaume after the second war. Elegant stoneware ceramic cachepots with beautiful cut decoration...
Category

1950s French Vintage Modern Pottery

Materials

Ceramic

Jun Kaneko Glazed Earthenware Oval Plate
Located in Stamford, CT
Jun Kaneko (b. 1942) glazed earthenware oval plater wall hanging. Signed, dated 94-8-11. circa 1994. Omaha, NE.
Category

1990s American Modern Pottery

Materials

Earthenware

Table Vase By Richard Uhlemeyer Color Terracotta Red and Green 1940s Style
Located in Hamburg, DE
Table vase by Richard Uhlemeyer, German pottery, handcrafted, 1940s style, glazed and colored in terracotta red and green, size 12 cm on the bottom x 33 cm height, Stamp at the bottom.
Category

1940s German Vintage Modern Pottery

Materials

Pottery

Waylande Gregory Ceramic Bowl
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
An elegant, hand-painted bowl by Waylande Gregory. Stylized leaf pattern in green and silver leaf.
Category

1950s American Vintage Modern Pottery

Colin Pearson British Studio Pottery Turquoise Vessel
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
A stylish vintage British studio pottery twin handled vessel by Colin Pearson. The vessel is made in porcelain and is of cylindrical shape with ...
Category

1990s English Modern Pottery

Materials

Porcelain, Pottery

Colin Pearson British Studio Pottery Tall Blue Vessel with Wings
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
A stunning vintage English Studio Pottery tall vessel with wings by Colin Pearson (1923-2007). The stylish stoneware vessel stands on a tall nar...
Category

1990s English Modern Pottery

Materials

Pottery, Stoneware

Richard Uhlemeyer Table Vase Ceramic German Pottery Green and Terra Cotta Red
Located in Hamburg, DE
Table base created by Richard Uhlemeyer, German ceramist, beautiful glaze in dark green and terra cotta red shades, size 9.5cm diameter x 43cm, perfect condition.   
Category

1940s German Vintage Modern Pottery

Materials

Pottery

Leonard Waegell Edmondson, Ceramic Vase, Dated, Signed, 1953
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This is an amazing vase by the very well-known artist, Leonard Edmondson, signed, dated.
Category

1950s American Vintage Modern Pottery

Materials

Ceramic, Pottery

Complimentary Pair of Cylindrical Art Pottery Vases
Located in Ottawa, Ontario
A complimentary pair of cylindrical art pottery vases, Each with ridged surface, earth-toned glaze austere, almost industrial look, although each made by different artists, together ...
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Modern Pottery

Materials

Pottery

3 Italian Modernist Franco Bucci Stacking Pottery Bowls for Laboratorio Pesaro
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A set of three stacking pottery bowls. Designed by Franco Bucci for Laboratorio Pesaro. Retailed by Nieman Marcus. Turquoise, yellow, and pink on grey. Bowl diameters: circa 9...
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Modern Pottery

Materials

Pottery

Unique Green Ceramic Vase by Turi Heisselberg Pedersen
Located in New York, NY
Organic Vase, 2015, (Ceramic, C. 12.1 in. h x 7.5 in. d, Object No.: 3389). Turi Heisselberg Pedersen has, all through her career, strived to develop the vessel as abstract form and as an independent sculptural object. As Turi notes “working in clay is to me connected with many underlying cultural bound references, but also strongly connected to nature. The very process of building in clay is a process from nature to culture. We have an inherent understanding of beauty and design evolved in thousands of years of visual impressions from our cultural history, but especially also from nature. In this context, I am aiming to create a visual and emotional reading of the objects, working with shape, rhythm, volume, movement, and texture”. In the interplay between culture and nature, Turi’s works are inspired by geological structures and crystal formations, but also by architecture, the edged rendering of a computer drawing or folded paper shapes. Most of her faceted shapes seem to have a seed of coincidence or unplanned development, reminding one of crystal formations growing in irregular clusters.? Heisselberg Pedersen’s sculptures are hand-modeled from stoneware and glazed with slip-glazes, which gives the works a stone-like, dry surface with a rich texture. Some of Turi’s designs...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Modern Pottery

Materials

Ceramic

Unique Ceramic Vase by Peter Beard
Located in New York, NY
Peter Beard vase Impressed artist's signature to underside. Unique
Category

21st Century and Contemporary British Modern Pottery

Materials

Ceramic

Fluted Vase by Axel Salto
Located in San Francisco, CA
A stoneware vase by Axel Salto for Royal Copenhagen with a long slim neck and fluted base and decorated with a deep red and brown olivine glaze. Signed SALTO on the base.
Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Modern Pottery

Materials

Stoneware

Ettore Sottsass Ceramic Vase, Geology 1 Vase, Numbered 9/12
Located in Downingtown, PA
Ettore Sottsass ceramic vase, Geology 1 vase, Numbered 9/12, AS Alessio Sarri Ceramiche. This vase, designed by Ettore Sottsass, the fou...
Category

Early 2000s Italian Modern Pottery

Materials

Ceramic

Modern pottery for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Modern pottery for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage pottery created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include serveware, ceramics, silver and glass, decorative objects, folk art and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with ceramic, pottery and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Modern pottery made in a specific country, there are Europe, North America, and United States pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original pottery, popular names associated with this style include Masquespacio, Custhom, Jason Fox Ceramics, and Stefania Boemi. 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 pottery differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $38 and tops out at $20,000 while the average work can sell for $600.

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