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Cowan Ceramic

Art Deco Matte Yellow and Glossy Blue Ceramic Console Bowl by Cowan Pottery
Art Deco Matte Yellow and Glossy Blue Ceramic Console Bowl by Cowan Pottery

Art Deco Matte Yellow and Glossy Blue Ceramic Console Bowl by Cowan Pottery

By Cowan Pottery

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Frond-form pedestal console bowl/centerpiece by Cowan Pottery (ca. late 1920s/early 1930s, Ohio, USA). Cowan was perhaps most recognized for producing the Viktor Schreckengost-design...

Category

Vintage 1930s American Art Deco Decorative Dishes and Vide-Poche

Materials

Ceramic

"Tropical Fish and Seaweed, " Rare Art Deco Trivet/Paperweight by Cowan, 1920s
"Tropical Fish and Seaweed, " Rare Art Deco Trivet/Paperweight by Cowan, 1920s

"Tropical Fish and Seaweed, " Rare Art Deco Trivet/Paperweight by Cowan, 1920s

By Cowan Pottery

Located in Philadelphia, PA

An especially rare piece of high style Art Deco ceramics by the renowned Cowan firm just outside Cleveland, this vividly-glazed trivet depicts a pair of plump tropical fish swimming ...

Category

Vintage 1920s American Art Deco Ceramics

Materials

Ceramic

"Atalanta and Hound, " Large, Rare Jade-Green Art Deco Wall-Mounted Bowl, Cowan
"Atalanta and Hound, " Large, Rare Jade-Green Art Deco Wall-Mounted Bowl, Cowan

"Atalanta and Hound, " Large, Rare Jade-Green Art Deco Wall-Mounted Bowl, Cowan

By Cowan Pottery

Located in Philadelphia, PA

Brilliantly glazed in a vivid, jade green glaze, this large and rare wall-mounted shallow bowl was designed by Waylande Gregory for Cowan Pottery at the height of its success during ...

Category

Vintage 1920s American Art Deco Wall-mounted Sculptures

Materials

Ceramic

Waylande Gregory for Cowan Pottery Coral Flamingo Centerpiece Planter Set 1929
Waylande Gregory for Cowan Pottery Coral Flamingo Centerpiece Planter Set 1929

Waylande Gregory for Cowan Pottery Coral Flamingo Centerpiece Planter Set 1929

By Waylande Gregory, Cowan Pottery

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Waylande Gregory Coral Flamingo Centerpiece and Planter, Cowan Pottery, Ohio, USA, 1928-1931. Marked "COWAN" under flamingo.

Category

Early 20th Century American Art Deco Planters and Jardinieres

Materials

Ceramic

Pelican bookends ''E-864" designed by Albert Drexler Jacobson for Cowan Pottery
Pelican bookends ''E-864" designed by Albert Drexler Jacobson for Cowan Pottery

Pelican bookends ''E-864" designed by Albert Drexler Jacobson for Cowan Pottery

By Albert Drexler Jacobson, Cowan Pottery

Located in Lynn, MA

Important and rare Art Deco bookends designed by Albert Drexler Jacobson(1895-1973). Fantastic modern and geometric shapes with three color glaze combinations that truly make this se...

Category

20th Century American Ceramics

Materials

Ceramic

"Life Undersea", Rare Art Deco Plate w/ Fish and Starfish by Winter for Cowan
"Life Undersea", Rare Art Deco Plate w/ Fish and Starfish by Winter for Cowan

"Life Undersea", Rare Art Deco Plate w/ Fish and Starfish by Winter for Cowan

By Cowan Pottery, Thelma Frazier Winter

Located in Philadelphia, PA

Frazier married Edward Winter, one of America's greatest enamel artists before and after World War II, and at that point she did both ceramic and enamel work. This piece shows the Co...

Category

Vintage 1920s American Art Deco Pottery

Materials

Ceramic

"Phoenix Bowl", Large, Low Art Deco Bowl w/ Phoenix Motif by Gregory for Cowan
"Phoenix Bowl", Large, Low Art Deco Bowl w/ Phoenix Motif by Gregory for Cowan

"Phoenix Bowl", Large, Low Art Deco Bowl w/ Phoenix Motif by Gregory for Cowan

By Waylande Gregory, Cowan Pottery

Located in Philadelphia, PA

Bathed in a vivid, fresh jade green glaze, this large and rare low bowl featuring a Phoenix bird at its center, its wings outstretched, was designed by Waylande Gregory for Cowan Pot...

Category

Vintage 1920s American Art Deco Decorative Bowls

Materials

Ceramic

"Mountain Goat Humidor, " Art Deco Lidded Container with Teal-Turquoise Glaze
"Mountain Goat Humidor, " Art Deco Lidded Container with Teal-Turquoise Glaze

"Mountain Goat Humidor, " Art Deco Lidded Container with Teal-Turquoise Glaze

By Cowan Pottery

Located in Philadelphia, PA

One of the most charming and rare of the many ceramic creations issued by the Cowan company in suburban Cleveland, this humidor depicts a baby mountain goat atop a peaked humidor, th...

Category

Vintage 1920s American Art Deco Cigar Boxes and Humidors

Materials

Ceramic

"High Style Female in Profile", Art Deco Trivet, Ivory Glaze, Frazier for Cowan
"High Style Female in Profile", Art Deco Trivet, Ivory Glaze, Frazier for Cowan

"High Style Female in Profile", Art Deco Trivet, Ivory Glaze, Frazier for Cowan

By Thelma Frazier Winter

Located in Philadelphia, PA

The artist was Thelma Frazier, one of a spectacular group of artists gathered together by Cowan Pottery in the 1920s, many of whom -- such as Waylande Gregory and Victor Schreckengos...

Category

Vintage 1920s American Art Deco Ceramics

Materials

Ceramic

Recent Sales

Large Cowan Turquoise Ceramic Bowl
Large Cowan Turquoise Ceramic Bowl

Large Cowan Turquoise Ceramic Bowl

Unavailable

H 3.5 in Dm 13 in

Large Cowan Turquoise Ceramic Bowl

By Cowan Pottery

Located in Austin, TX

A large ceramic bowl of turquoise and maize attributed to Cowan Pottery Studio.

Category

Vintage 1930s American Art Deco Pottery

Art Deco 1930 Cowan Pottery Figural Female Beauty Flower Frog "Awakening"
Art Deco 1930 Cowan Pottery Figural Female Beauty Flower Frog "Awakening"

Art Deco 1930 Cowan Pottery Figural Female Beauty Flower Frog "Awakening"

By Cowan Pottery

Located in San Juan Capistrano, CA

A ceramic flower frog statue by Cowan Pottery titled "Awakening " features a stunning Art Deco lady standing in a lotus flower.

Category

Vintage 1930s American Art Deco Planters, Cachepots and Jardinières

Materials

Ceramic

Waylande Gregory Art Deco "Aztec Man" for Cowan Pottery
Waylande Gregory Art Deco "Aztec Man" for Cowan Pottery

Waylande Gregory Art Deco "Aztec Man" for Cowan Pottery

By Waylande Gregory, Cowan Pottery

Located in Van Nuys, CA

Art Deco "Aztec Man" by ceramics sculptor Waylande Gregory for Cowan Pottery, circa 1928. This ceramic lamp features a beautifully sculpted Aztec man surrounded by geometric shape...

Category

Vintage 1920s American Art Deco Table Lamps

Materials

Ceramic

"Leaping Antelope Dish", Rare, Early work by Waylande Gregory for Cowan
"Leaping Antelope Dish", Rare, Early work by Waylande Gregory for Cowan

"Leaping Antelope Dish", Rare, Early work by Waylande Gregory for Cowan

By Waylande Gregory, Cowan Pottery

Located in Philadelphia, PA

A major retrospective of Gregory's work was recently organized by the University of Richmond's Museums. The dish shows the Cowan mark on the bottom.

Category

Vintage 1930s American Art Deco Ceramics

Materials

Ceramic

Art Deco Cowan Pottery Ginger Jar
Art Deco Cowan Pottery Ginger Jar

Art Deco Cowan Pottery Ginger Jar

Sold

H 8.5 in Dm 5.5 in

Art Deco Cowan Pottery Ginger Jar

By Cowan Pottery

Located in Waltham, MA

Rare and unusual Cowan Pottery Chinese “Ginger Jar” style covered urn with a carved lid and base. Cowan Pottery operated for a short period in the 1920s and many of the best well-kno...

Category

Vintage 1920s American Art Deco Ceramics

Materials

Ceramic

Two 1920s Cowan Pottery Iridescent Luster Glaze Vases in Marigold and Larkspur
Two 1920s Cowan Pottery Iridescent Luster Glaze Vases in Marigold and Larkspur

Two 1920s Cowan Pottery Iridescent Luster Glaze Vases in Marigold and Larkspur

By Cowan Pottery

Located in Los Angeles, CA

His successful venture became one of the America's leading potteries during the 1920s. Cowan and his associates produced up to 175,000 ceramic objects a year, sold through a network ...

Category

Early 20th Century American Art Deco Vases

Materials

Ceramic

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'Plissé White Edition' Pleated Textile Table Lamp by Folkform for Örsjö
'Plissé White Edition' Pleated Textile Table Lamp by Folkform for Örsjö

'Plissé White Edition' Pleated Textile Table Lamp by Folkform for Örsjö

By Örsjö Industri AB

Located in Glendale, CA

'Plissé White Edition' pleated textile table lamp by Folkform for Örsjö. This unique table lamp was awarded “Lighting of the Year 2022” by Residence Magazine Sweden, who called it “...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Swedish Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Textile

Pair of Modern Walnut Side Tables
Pair of Modern Walnut Side Tables

Pair of Modern Walnut Side Tables

$4,554 / set

H 28.5 in W 26 in D 26 in

Pair of Modern Walnut Side Tables

By Theodore Alexander

Located in Westwood, NJ

A Pacific walnut side table, the square top with rounded corners and a reeded edge above a similar under tier, on bobbin turned legs. Dimensions: 26" W x 26" D x 28.5" H.  

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Modern End Tables

Materials

Wood

Classic Empire Center Table, Oatmeal
Classic Empire Center Table, Oatmeal

Classic Empire Center Table, Oatmeal

$2,820 / item

H 30 in W 42 in D 42 in

Classic Empire Center Table, Oatmeal

Located in Westwood, NJ

A Classic Empire style grey cerused oak oatmeal stained center table with a carved ogee edge, raised on an octagonal pedestal base. Dimensions: 42" W x 42" D x 30" H. Clearance: 27"

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Empire Center Tables

Materials

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"Les Terrains" Signed Limited Edition Art Print by Christiane Lemieux - 30"x40"
"Les Terrains" Signed Limited Edition Art Print by Christiane Lemieux - 30"x40"

"Les Terrains" Signed Limited Edition Art Print by Christiane Lemieux - 30"x40"

Located in New York, NY

Our first limited edition fine art print “Les Terrains” is an emotive abstract landscape translated in gouache, charcoal and pastel. Created by artist Christiane Lemieux, there will ...

Category

2010s American Modern Contemporary Art

Materials

Paper

Pair of 70s Style Italian Bamboo and Brass Table Lamps
Pair of 70s Style Italian Bamboo and Brass Table Lamps

Pair of 70s Style Italian Bamboo and Brass Table Lamps

Located in New York, NY

Monumental size Bamboo lamps. Crafted in Italy and made to order, these lamps are modern and chic. Production lead time 2-4 weeks. Base diameter 8 inches, hat diameter 20 inches, he...

Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Art Deco Sofa by Munna Design Studio with Velvet Upholstery
Art Deco Sofa by Munna Design Studio with Velvet Upholstery

Art Deco Sofa by Munna Design Studio with Velvet Upholstery

$15,439 / item

H 32.68 in W 110.24 in D 40.56 in

Art Deco Sofa by Munna Design Studio with Velvet Upholstery

By Munna Design Studio

Located in New York, NY

This sofa features a wonderfully elegant fan-shaped motif, with its accentuated curvy lines with decadent and lavish finish. The feminine curves are ravishingly enhanced by the diffe...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Sofas

Materials

Velvet

Vintage 1949 Mid-Century Modern Custom L-Shaped Office Desk by George Nelson
Vintage 1949 Mid-Century Modern Custom L-Shaped Office Desk by George Nelson

Vintage 1949 Mid-Century Modern Custom L-Shaped Office Desk by George Nelson

$14,000Sale Price|60% Off

H 79.5 in W 84 in D 108.5 in

Vintage 1949 Mid-Century Modern Custom L-Shaped Office Desk by George Nelson

By George Nelson, Herman Miller

Located in Lafayette, IN

This remarkable piece is a one-off desk/wardrobe/bar/bookcase/storage cabinet custom-designed by George Nelson in 1949 to match his Basic Cabinet Series (BCS) for Herman Miller. The ...

Category

Vintage 1940s American Mid-Century Modern Desks

Materials

Aluminum

Antique 19th Century French Set of Four Copper Pans
Antique 19th Century French Set of Four Copper Pans

Antique 19th Century French Set of Four Copper Pans

$1,910 / set

H 4.34 in W 8 in D 8 in

Antique 19th Century French Set of Four Copper Pans

Located in Suffolk, GB

Antique Victorian French set of four copper pans of circular form having a tempered copper base, iron handles with copper rivets and hanging holes. They are heavier than the average...

Category

Antique 19th Century French Victorian Serving Pieces

Materials

Copper

Japanese Meiji Era Wireless Cloisonne Pink Crane Enamel Vase
Japanese Meiji Era Wireless Cloisonne Pink Crane Enamel Vase

Japanese Meiji Era Wireless Cloisonne Pink Crane Enamel Vase

Located in Long Island City, NY

An antique Japanese copper vase with wireless cloisonne enamel design. Late Meiji era, before 1912. Round shape with pronounced base. The piece is decorated with a stork or crane bir...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Japanese Meiji Metalwork

Materials

Copper, Enamel

Exceptional 19th Century English Chinoiserie Pagoda Display Cabinet
Exceptional 19th Century English Chinoiserie Pagoda Display Cabinet

Exceptional 19th Century English Chinoiserie Pagoda Display Cabinet

Located in Houston, TX

Large-scale 19th century English display cabinet executed in the Chinoiserie tradition. Constructed in carved mahogany and conceived as a tripartite architectural façade, each glazed...

Category

Antique 19th Century English Chinese Chippendale Vitrines

Materials

Glass, Mahogany

Venetian Monumental Seated Bird Cage
Venetian Monumental Seated Bird Cage

Venetian Monumental Seated Bird Cage

$425,000

H 168 in Dm 104 in

Venetian Monumental Seated Bird Cage

Located in Queens, NY

Italian Venetian style (20th Cent) octagonal shaped painted and decorated metal and wood bird cage with 8 upholstered seat and back cushions around base. (Franco Zefferelli Collection)

Category

Early 20th Century Italian Rococo Bird Cages

Materials

Metal

Art Deco Bowl with Songbirds by Mequinion, in Jade Green and Yellow
Art Deco Bowl with Songbirds by Mequinion, in Jade Green and Yellow

Art Deco Bowl with Songbirds by Mequinion, in Jade Green and Yellow

By Roger Mequinion

Located in Philadelphia, PA

Beautifully glazed and carved in tones of jade green and pale yellow, this unique bowl ringed with songbirds and vines was made Roger Mequinion in France. The artist produced an ent...

Category

Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Decorative Bowls

Materials

Ceramic

Antique Art Nouveau Silver Photograph Frame. English. Dated 1905
Antique Art Nouveau Silver Photograph Frame. English. Dated 1905

Antique Art Nouveau Silver Photograph Frame. English. Dated 1905

Located in St Annes, Lancashire

Beautiful silver photo frame In art nouveau style Good clear hallmark for Birmingham 1905 Original bevelled glass Good condition Original oak back Free UK shipping  

Category

Antique Early 1900s English Art Nouveau Picture Frames

Materials

Silver

Rare and Exceptional 'Gilda' Circle Sofa in Velvet by Michel Ducaroy, 1972
Rare and Exceptional 'Gilda' Circle Sofa in Velvet by Michel Ducaroy, 1972

Rare and Exceptional 'Gilda' Circle Sofa in Velvet by Michel Ducaroy, 1972

By Michel Ducaroy, Ligne Roset

Located in Echt, NL

Very rare extra large 'Gilda' circle sofa in excellent condition. Designed by Michel Ducaroy in 1972. The sofa is manufactured by 'Roset' the company name of Ligne Roset prior to 1...

Category

20th Century French Hollywood Regency Sectional Sofas

Materials

Metal

Rare Italian Liberty Style/Art Nouveau Commode with Painted Wood Inlays
Rare Italian Liberty Style/Art Nouveau Commode with Painted Wood Inlays

Rare Italian Liberty Style/Art Nouveau Commode with Painted Wood Inlays

Located in Milano, IT

Rare commode in the style of Louis Majorelle with front and sides inlaid in painted wood. Two doors on the front that hide a cabinet with open compartments and small drawers in light...

Category

Early 20th Century Italian Art Nouveau Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Wood

Ernesto Valabrega for Studio Vittorio Valabrega Decorative Fireplace Mantel
Ernesto Valabrega for Studio Vittorio Valabrega Decorative Fireplace Mantel

Ernesto Valabrega for Studio Vittorio Valabrega Decorative Fireplace Mantel

By Vittorio Valabrega

Located in Waalwijk, NL

Ernesto Valabrega for Studio Vittorio Valabrega, decorative fireplace mantel, lacquered wood, plaster, glass, iron, Italy, 1930s This striking decorative fireplace mantel, presumabl...

Category

Vintage 1930s Italian Art Deco Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Iron

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Cowan Ceramic For Sale on 1stDibs

With a vast inventory of beautiful furniture at 1stDibs, we’ve got just the cowan ceramic you’re looking for. Frequently made of ceramic and clay, every cowan ceramic was constructed with great care. You’ve searched high and low for the perfect cowan ceramic — we have versions that date back to the 20th Century alongside those produced as recently as the 21st Century are available. A cowan ceramic, designed in the Art Deco style, is generally a popular piece of furniture. Many designers have produced at least one well-made cowan ceramic over the years, but those crafted by Cowan Pottery, Waylande Desantis Gregory and Elizabeth Anderson Seaver are often thought to be among the most beautiful.

How Much is a Cowan Ceramic?

Prices for a cowan ceramic start at $950 and top out at $18,942 with the average selling for $2,750.

A Close Look at Art Deco Furniture

Art Deco furniture is characterized by its celebration of modern life. More than its emphasis on natural wood grains and focus on traditional craftsmanship, vintage Art Deco dining chairs, tables, desks, cabinets and other furniture — which typically refers to pieces produced during the 1920s and 1930s — is an ode to the glamour of the “Roaring Twenties.” 

ORIGINS OF ART DECO FURNITURE DESIGN

CHARACTERISTICS OF ART DECO FURNITURE DESIGN

  • Bold geometric lines and forms, floral motifs
  • Use of expensive materials such as shagreen or marble as well as exotic woods such as mahogany, ebony and zebra wood
  • Metal accents, shimmering mirrored finishes
  • Embellishments made from exotic animal hides, inlays of mother-of-pearl or ivory

ART DECO FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW

VINTAGE ART DECO FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS

Few design styles are as universally recognized and appreciated as Art Deco. The term alone conjures visions of the Roaring Twenties, Machine Age metropolises, vast ocean liners, sleek typography and Prohibition-era hedonism. The iconic movement made an indelible mark on all fields of design throughout the 1920s and ’30s, celebrating society’s growing industrialization with refined elegance and stunning craftsmanship.

Widely known designers associated with the Art Deco style include Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann, Eileen Gray, Maurice Dufrêne, Paul Follot and Jules Leleu.

The term Art Deco derives from the name of a large decorative arts exhibition held in Paris in 1925. “Art Deco design” is often used broadly, to describe the work of creators in associated or ancillary styles. This is particularly true of American Art Deco, which is also called Streamline Moderne or Machine Age design. (Streamline Moderne, sometimes known as Art Moderne, was a phenomenon largely of the 1930s, post–Art Nouveau.)

Art Deco textile designers employed dazzling floral motifs and vivid colors, and while Art Deco furniture makers respected the dark woods and modern metals with which they worked, they frequently incorporated decorative embellishments such as exotic animal hides as well as veneers in their seating, case pieces, living room sets and bedroom furniture.

From mother-of-pearl inlaid vitrines to chrome aviator chairs, bold and inventive works in the Art Deco style include chaise longues (also known as chaise lounges) and curved armchairs. Today, the style is still favored by interior designers looking to infuse a home with an air of luxury and sophistication.

The vintage Art Deco furniture for sale on 1stDibs includes dressers, coffee tables, decorative objects and more.