Josiah Wedgwood Pottery
Arguably the most celebrated of all English ceramics makers, Wedgwood was founded in 1759 by potter Josiah Wedgwood in Staffordshire, which was home at one time to hundreds of pottery workshops.
Wedgwood 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 company is also known for its black stoneware, Black Basalt, which imitates the color and shapes of Etruscan vases.
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 Josiah Wedgwood pottery, dinner plates, serving pieces and other furnishings and decorative objects on 1stDibs.
Early 19th Century British Neoclassical Antique Josiah Wedgwood Pottery
Earthenware
Early 19th Century British Egyptian Revival Antique Josiah Wedgwood Pottery
Earthenware
1780s English Georgian Antique Josiah Wedgwood Pottery
Creamware, Pottery
1930s British Art Deco Vintage Josiah Wedgwood Pottery
Ceramic
19th Century English Victorian Antique Josiah Wedgwood Pottery
Majolica
19th Century French Folk Art Antique Josiah Wedgwood Pottery
Terracotta
Early 20th Century American Mission Josiah Wedgwood Pottery
Silver
Early 19th Century English Neoclassical Antique Josiah Wedgwood Pottery
Stoneware
Late 18th Century English Neoclassical Antique Josiah Wedgwood Pottery
Stoneware
1770s English Georgian Antique Josiah Wedgwood Pottery
Creamware, Pottery
Early 19th Century English Georgian Antique Josiah Wedgwood Pottery
Ironstone
Early 20th Century Josiah Wedgwood Pottery
Pewter
19th Century English Georgian Antique Josiah Wedgwood Pottery
Pottery
Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Josiah Wedgwood Pottery
Ceramic, Stoneware
Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Josiah Wedgwood Pottery
Ceramic, Stoneware
Mid-20th Century English Neoclassical Josiah Wedgwood Pottery
Stoneware
1760s English Georgian Antique Josiah Wedgwood Pottery
Ceramic, Creamware, Pottery
Late 18th Century English Neoclassical Antique Josiah Wedgwood Pottery
Pottery
18th Century English Neoclassical Antique Josiah Wedgwood Pottery
Pottery, Giltwood
Mid-19th Century English Neoclassical Antique Josiah Wedgwood Pottery
Earthenware, Stoneware
