François-Théodore Legras On Sale

François-Théodore Legras is a master French glassmaker. His childhood spent in a tiny hamlet, surrounded by nature, in the heart of the Darney Forest, one of the most beautiful forests in France, has probably marked and will become a source of inspiration for his creations focused on fauna, flora and especially on the landscapes of forests and lakes that punctuate the Ourche Valley. At the age of 20, he entered as a clerk in glassworks near his native hamlet. At the age of 24, he left his native Vosges to work at the Plaine Saint-Denis glassworks in Saint-Denis near Paris where he was hired as a night clerk. Six months later, Legras became a manufacturing manager and in 1866, at the age of 27, he became director of glassware. He then builds a new modern factory and a workers' city that over the years becomes an Industrial complex of nearly 20,000 square meters. Legras became chief executive officer of Legras et Cie, then of the Verrerie et Cristallerie de Saint-Denis. He participates in many national and international exhibitions where he is very often rewarded. Legras was also responsible for the glassware and crystalware part of the 1900 Universal Exhibition in Paris.

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.