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A Set of Three Wedgwood Black Basalt Vases, England, Circa 1775
$11,600per set
£8,779.96per set
€10,109.98per set
CA$16,502.21per set
A$17,875.97per set
CHF 9,412.43per set
MX$216,977.40per set
NOK 117,384.80per set
SEK 110,984.57per set
DKK 75,473.95per set
About the Item
Here is a magnificent ensemble of three Wedgwood vases that seems to embody the entire spirit of 18th-century English neoclassicism: its balance, its discipline, and its love of the antique.
The centerpiece is a grand covered vase made by Wedgwood & Bentley.
Its tall ovoid form rises from a fluted pedestal base with a quiet authority that feels architectural.
The smooth, velvety surface of the black basalt throws every curve into relief, and the fine band of ornament around the shoulder seems almost to whisper rather than announce itself.
Scroll handles sweep upward to frame the domed lid, which ends in a perfect sphere of polished black.
It is an image of ideal geometry, one Wedgwood himself would undoubtedly have admired.
The two companion vases beside it are more animated.
Their cylindrical bodies are encircled by a vivid Bacchanalian frieze of boys dancing and playing.
Their gestures are full of life, arms raised and hair flying, echoing the Roman marbles that inspired Wedgwood’s modelers.
The reliefs are crisp and deeply cut, their exuberance standing in deliberate contrast to the serenity of the central vase.
Together they form a brilliant conversation: one vessel all restraint and proportion, the others filled with movement and joy.
Each vase bears the mark of its maker.
The large one is inscribed “WEDGWOOD & BENTLEY ETRURIA” (used only from 1769 to 1780), while the smaller pair, stamped “WEDGWOOD,” were made circa 1775.
The trio reveals, better than almost any single piece could, the dual genius of the Wedgwood factory in the 1770s.
On the one hand, it shows their command of classical design; on the other, their mastery of the sculptural imagination.
Marks: “WEDGWOOD & BENTLEY ETRURIA” on the large vase; “WEDGWOOD” on the pair
Dimensions: Pair 11½″ tall x 5¼″ across handles x 3¼″ square base; Large vase 14¼″ tall x 6½″ diameter x 4″ square base
Condition: Excellent
Price: $11,600
A note on the material:
Black basalt was Josiah Wedgwood’s proudest technical triumph. It is a refined stoneware perfected in the 1760s from Staffordshire clay enriched with manganese and iron oxides. When fired, it turned a velvety, matte black, capable of capturing the sharpest details. Wedgwood called it “basaltes,” after the ancient volcanic stone, and it quickly became the medium of choice for his most elegant neoclassical forms.
- Creator:Josiah Wedgwood (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 14.25 in (36.2 cm)Diameter: 14.25 in (36.2 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 3
- Style:Neoclassical (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:1770-1779
- Date of Manufacture:Circa 1775
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Katonah, NY
- Reference Number:Seller: SKU000013741stDibs: LU866546876712
Josiah Wedgwood
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.
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