Red Jasperware

Arguably the most celebrated of all English ceramics makers, Wedgwood was founded in 1759 by potter Josiah Wedgwood (1730–95) in Staffordshire, which was home at one time to hundreds of pottery workshops. The company is famed for its Jasperware — molded neoclassical stoneware vases, plates and other pieces inspired by ancient cameo glass, featuring white figures, scenes and decorative elements set in relief on a matte-colored background. The best-known background hue is light blue, but Wedgwood’s iconic silhouettes also appear on green, lilac, yellow, black and even white grounds. Some antique Wedgwood dinnerware pieces and other items feature three or more colors.

The Wedgwood firm first came to prominence for its tableware, which quickly gained favor in aristocratic households throughout Britain and Europe. In 1765, Wedgwood was commissioned to create a cream-colored earthenware service for Queen Charlotte, consort of King George III. The queen was so thrilled with her new china that Wedgwood was given permission to call himself “Potter to Her Majesty,” and the decorative style became known as Queen’s Ware. 

Not to be outdone, Catherine the Great of Russia commissioned her own set of Wedgwood china in 1773. Nearly 200 years later, the firm created a 1,200-piece service for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. In recent years, leading designers including Jasper Conran and Vera Wang have collaborated with Wedgwood — in the tradition of such distinguished 18th-century artists such as the painter George Stubbs and metalsmith Matthew Boulton.

From plates and other dinnerware to decorative items like urns, cachepots and candlesticks, Wedgwood designs lend a traditional air to Anglophile interiors. And even if you have to make your own tea, you may find it comforting to sip it from a delicate cup that was manufactured in the same Stoke-on-Trent kiln that produced Her Majesty’s tea service. Be sure to keep your pinky raised.

Find antique Wedgwood pottery on 1stDibs.

Neoclassical design emerged in Europe in the 1750s, as the Age of Enlightenment reached full flower. Neoclassical furniture took its cues from the styles of ancient Rome and Athens: symmetrical, ordered, dignified forms with such details as tapered and fluted chair and table legs, backrest finials and scrolled arms.

Over a period of some 20 years, first in France and later in Britain, neoclassical design — also known as Louis XVI, or Louis Seize — would supersede the lithe and curvaceous Rococo or Louis XV style.

The first half of the 18th century had seen a rebirth of interest in classical antiquity. The "Grand Tour" of Europe, codified as a part of the proper education of a patrician gentleman, included an extended visit to Rome. Some ventured further, to sketch the ruins of ancient Greece. These drawings and others — particularly those derived from the surprising and rich archaeological discoveries in the 1730s and ’40s at the sites of the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum — caused great excitement among intellectuals and aesthetes alike.

Neoclassical furniture is meant to reflect both grace and power. The overall appearance of neoclassical chairs, tables and cabinetry is strong and rectilinear. These pieces are, in effect, classical architecture in miniature: chair and table legs are shaped like columns; cabinets are constructed with elements that mirror friezes and pediments.

Yet neoclassicism is enlivened by gilt and silver leaf, marquetry, and carved and applied ornamental motifs based on Greek and Roman sculpture: acanthus leaves, garlands, laurel wreaths, sheaves of arrow, medallions and chair splats are carved in the shapes of lyres and urns. Ormolu — or elaborate bronze gilding — was essential to French design in the 18th and 19th centuries as a cornerstone of the neoclassical and Empire styles.

As you can see from the furniture on these pages, there is a bit of whimsy in such stately pieces — a touch of lightness that will always keep neoclassicism fresh.

Find antique neoclassical furniture today on 1stDibs.

Decorative vases and antique and vintage urns are statement objects for the home that can date back centuries. Ranging from pieces with intricate, hand-painted details to more minimal forms with abstract shapes, decorative vases and urns come in a range of styles and sizes.

An urn is a type of vase that typically has a cover, a narrow neck and a round body, sometimes with a footed pedestal. However, when a vessel is called an urn, this often denotes its purpose rather than its origin or shape. One of the urn’s most crucial roles was and remains to be to hold the ashes of people for funerary rites. Another type of urn is adorned with figures that tell a story or show a scene.

Some of the earliest vases were formed from clay or metal-like bronze. Mesopotamians used them not only for decoration but also for storage. In ancient Greece, vases and urns frequently depicted stories from mythology, showing images of the gods and heroes. In ancient Egypt, vases such as the amphora had ceremonial purposes.

Over time, vases grew in popularity among artists as a different kind of canvas for expression. Unlike many of the ancient examples, these vases were not always functional but instead made for a striking addition to one’s decor. Even a plain, solid-colored vase can add color or style to a room. Metal urns are elegant additions to your living room or foyer rather than outside, unless you’re partial to the alluring weathered patina that is expected to characterize an antique cast-iron garden urn.

Every interior designer will tell you that decorative objects are what make a house a home. Decorative objects trumpet the homeowner’s personality while bringing a room to life. For designers, they present an opportunity to express their creative vision.

When looking for a decorative vase, it’s important to note the design and also the size and shape. Decorative vases vary from those with a wide base to those with long slender necks. Browse decorative vases and an extensive ceramic urn collection on 1stDibs.