Wendy Ross

Vintage, new and antique serving bowls are popular with collectors as well as cooks. While some serving bowls are merely decorative items, others are both eye-catching and functional.

The design and material of a bowl will vary depending on the period and location where it was made. Antique Chinese serving bowls are often exquisitely painted and made from fine porcelain. Colonial American wooden bowls are practical and elegant, able to hold brightly colored fruit or act as a serving dish at a family meal.

Along with wood, stone, metal and porcelain, there are also glass serving bowls. The most notable are made from Murano glass, named for the Murano Island in Venice where many of the world’s most famous glass objects have been produced. Glass serving bowls from the 19th through the mid-20th century are especially popular with collectors. Pieces from this era range from simple to ornate, frequently featuring gold or painted embellishments.

The styles of these bowls include art glass, which dates to the mid-19th century, and colorful carnival glass, which was introduced in the early 20th century. Carnival glass serving bowls were more affordable so they were used widely in homes. Depression glass, an iteration of glassware that was inexpensively mass-produced when people didn’t have much money to spend on decor during the 1920s and ’30s, featured bright colors. Milk glass, which had its heyday in the late 19th century, adds a touch of elegance to any table or display.

Antique and vintage serving bowls are desirable for their style, patterns and range of textures they can help introduce to a space. They are also prized for their rich history. Browse antique and vintage serving bowls on 1stDibs today.