Classical Greek Urns

CLASSICAL GREEK STYLE

There is rare surviving furniture from ancient Greece, yet this classical style has informed design for centuries. Interiors of houses in antiquity were minimal, with much of a room’s color coming from frescoes on the walls and mosaics on the floors. Classical Greek furniture was sparing but finely crafted and influenced by Egyptian furniture design through Mediterranean trade.

Furnishings of the period were usually made from local wood like cypress, cedar, oak and willow from ancient Greece’s plentiful forests, although some pieces were carved from marble, such as a 300–200 B.C. throne with lion legs and a curved back now at the Getty Villa. Comfort and clean lines characterized designs during the Classical era, the symmetry and thoughtful proportions reflecting the architecture of Greek temples.

Some pieces of ancient Greek furniture were simple, rectangular platforms like the klinē, a multipurpose ancestor of today’s couches or daybeds that held cushions stuffed with wool, dry grass or down. These structures were used for both sleeping and dining, which wealthy Greeks did while reclining. At night, oil lamps illuminated rooms that frequently surrounded a garden courtyard.

Most of what scholars have learned about Greek furniture design owes to its representations in art like vases and stelae. The portable diphros stool, with its backless design and four turned legs, was one of the more common types of seating in daily Greek life — it appears as such for the gods on the Parthenon frieze. Stools without backs have been found in early Roman tombs, while benches were also common Greek seating furniture created for use in theaters. In houses of the Hellenistic period, benches seemingly functioned as tables, too.

Some designs evolved through adaptations by the Romans, including the klismos chair. After prominent archaeological excavations at Pompeii and Herculaneum, the klismos chair — with its four saber legs and the elegant curves that define its back — was a source of inspiration for aesthetics in eras ranging from 18th-century neoclassicism to 20th-century Art Deco.

Find a collection of Classical Greek decorative objects, wall decorations and building and garden elements on 1stDibs.

Style: Classical Greek

Large Antique Balkan Clay Storage Bottle or Urn Terracotta Vessel, 19th Century

$568Sale Price|30% Off

Large Antique Balkan Clay Storage Bottle or Urn Terracotta Vessel, 19th Century

Located in Andernach, DE

Antique hand crafted and unique stoneware jug with a square belly and round base. The jug comes with a round screw cap. Possibly Balkan area or Italy, around 1800s to 1900. Beautiful...

Category

Late 19th Century Greek Antique Classical Greek Urns

Materials

Clay, Terracotta

Mid 20th Century Italian Scavo Glass Roman Style Vase

$495

Mid 20th Century Italian Scavo Glass Roman Style Vase

Located in Elkhart, IN

A mid 20th century Roman style pink Scavo glass vase. Scavo glass was created in the mid 20th century by using a technique involving the application, to the surface of an object, of ...

Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Classical Greek Urns

Materials

Glass

Amphora in the Style of Ancient Greece, Italy, Early 1900s

$1,497

Amphora in the Style of Ancient Greece, Italy, Early 1900s

Located in London, GB

This decorative amphora, produced in Italy in the early 20th century, draws inspiration from the celebrated traditions of ancient Greek pottery. Crafted in terracotta and finished wi...

Category

Early 20th Century Italian Classical Greek Urns

Materials

Ceramic

Decorative Bronze Amphora

$485

Decorative Bronze Amphora

Located in San Francisco, CA

On offer is an amphora, an ancient Greek form. Such two-handled pots had a narrow neck accessing a larger bag-shape body. So, if you wanted to ship grains from your vast estates in S...

Category

20th Century Classical Greek Urns

Materials

Bronze

19th Century French Neo-Greek Classical Bronze Lamp by Henry Cahieux

$1,307Sale Price|40% Off

19th Century French Neo-Greek Classical Bronze Lamp by Henry Cahieux

By Henry Cahieux and Ferdinand Barbedienne

Located in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire

A 19th century French Neo-Greek Classical bronze lamp by Henry Cahieux probably cast by the Barbedienne foundry, Paris and inscribed Hy Cahieux, 21.5cm...

Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Classical Greek Urns

Materials

Bronze

Pair of Ferdinand Barbedienne Low Handled Bronze Borghese Urns

$12,935 / set

Pair of Ferdinand Barbedienne Low Handled Bronze Borghese Urns

By Ferdinand Barbedienne

Located in Hastings, GB

Glorious and incredibly rare pair of 19th century gilt bronze low handled urns modelled after the original Borghese vase by Giovanni Zoffoli (c1785-1845) cast by Barbedienne in the ...

Category

1870s French Antique Classical Greek Urns

Materials

Bronze

Italian Pink Scavo Glass Vase, Roman Style, Mid-20th Century, Italy

$495

Italian Pink Scavo Glass Vase, Roman Style, Mid-20th Century, Italy

Located in Elkhart, IN

A beautiful Roman style pink Scavo glass vase. Scavo glass was created in the mid-20th century by using a technique involving the application, to the surface of an object, of substan...

Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Classical Greek Urns

Materials

Glass

Pair of 19th Century, Classical Style Urns

$15,000 / set

Pair of 19th Century, Classical Style Urns

By Galloway Pottery

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Grand pair of late 19th century, terracotta urns featuring reliefs of Neptune / Poseidon amidst the waves flanked by a hippocampus and a sea serpent. Stamped “Galloway Pottery, Phila...

Category

Late 19th Century American Antique Classical Greek Urns

Materials

Terracotta

Classical Form Garden Urn, Cast Iron, Rusted Patina, Scalloped Rim, Fluted Body

$4,800

Classical Form Garden Urn, Cast Iron, Rusted Patina, Scalloped Rim, Fluted Body

Located in Chicago, IL

This cast iron garden urn embodies the enduring elegance of classical design with a beautifully aged iron rust patina. Its fluted body and scalloped rim draw inspiration from traditi...

Category

Mid-20th Century Classical Greek Urns

Materials

Iron

Greek Pottery Black Urn with Twisted Handles, signed on reverse by artist.

$150 / item

Greek Pottery Black Urn with Twisted Handles, signed on reverse by artist.

Located in Scottsdale, AZ

Greek Pottery Black Urn with Twisted Handles, hand painted, signed on reverse by artist. It was brought back from Greece in the 70's. We know it...

Category

Mid-20th Century Greek Classical Greek Urns

Materials

Clay

Classical Form Garden Urn, Cast Iron, Rusted Patina, Scalloped Rim, Fluted Body

$1,200

Classical Form Garden Urn, Cast Iron, Rusted Patina, Scalloped Rim, Fluted Body

Located in Chicago, IL

This classic cast iron urn exudes timeless garden elegance with its richly weathered patina and graceful fluted silhouette. The warm, aged bronze tones and subtle surface texture spe...

Category

Mid-20th Century Classical Greek Urns

Materials

Iron

Pair classical 19th Century Ormolu urns. after Balling for Versailles

$6,535

Pair classical 19th Century Ormolu urns. after Balling for Versailles

Located in Brighton, Sussex

A very impressive pair of Classical 19th Century French gilded ormolu urns. Each with two-headed Janus finials, the sides with boar's masks and bands of shells, oak leaves and Greek ...

Category

19th Century French Antique Classical Greek Urns

Materials

Marble, Ormolu

Apollo-Dionysus Amphora, Hand-Painted Greek Revival Terracotta

$800Sale Price|20% Off

H 12.5 in Dm 10.5 in

Apollo-Dionysus Amphora, Hand-Painted Greek Revival Terracotta

Located in Atlanta, GA

This amphora references classical Greek iconography through a dual narrative approach. One side presents Hermes offering the lyre to Apollo, a moment tied to the origin of music and ...

Category

2010s American Classical Greek Urns

Materials

Terracotta, Paint, Plaster

20th Century Italian Murano Glass Vase

$1,118

H 15.75 in Dm 13 in

20th Century Italian Murano Glass Vase

Located in Antwerp, BE

An Italian Murano glass vase manufactured in the 1960s.

Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Classical Greek Urns

Materials

Glass, Murano Glass

Antique Terracotta Vessel, 19th Century, with Patina, Wabi Sabi, Primitive Pot

$950

H 10.5 in Dm 8.5 in

Antique Terracotta Vessel, 19th Century, with Patina, Wabi Sabi, Primitive Pot

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Gorgeous terracotta vessel with excellent patina and wear. 19th Century Spain.

Category

Early 19th Century Spanish Antique Classical Greek Urns

Materials

Terracotta

Italian Murano Blue Scavo Vase Roman Style Italian Art Glass

$447

H 6.3 in Dm 5.52 in

Italian Murano Blue Scavo Vase Roman Style Italian Art Glass

By Cenedese Scavo, Seguso Vetri d'Arte, Cenedese, Archimede Seguso, Franco Moretti

Located in Bad Säckingen, DE

This vintage Murano Scavo vase in cobalt blue captures the essence of Italian glass artistry. The Scavo technique gives it a weathered, ancient look, reminiscent of artifacts from an...

Category

1960s Italian Vintage Classical Greek Urns

Materials

Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass

A Greek Black Figure Style Grand Tour Amphora, 19th Century

$2,100

H 9.45 in W 6.3 in D 5.32 in

A Greek Black Figure Style Grand Tour Amphora, 19th Century

Located in ARMADALE, VIC

A Greek Black Figure Style Grand Tour Amphora, 19th Century Provenance: Private Australian Collection. Description: Amphora, specifically, were used for storing and transporting li...

Category

19th Century Greek Antique Classical Greek Urns

Materials

Terracotta

Ferdinand Barbedienne Set of Gilt Bronze-Mounted Champleve Onyx Garniture

$24,000Sale Price / set|52% Off

H 19.5 in W 13 in D 34 in

Ferdinand Barbedienne Set of Gilt Bronze-Mounted Champleve Onyx Garniture

By Ferdinand Barbedienne

Located in Guaynabo, PR

This is a Ferdinand Barbedienne set of gilt bronze-mounted champleve onyx garniture. It consist of two urns and one large oval vase/jardiniere. The vase...

Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Classical Greek Urns

Materials

Onyx, Bronze

Pair of Murano Glass Scavo Vases in Ancient Roman Style, Italy, Mid-Century

$459 / set

H 5.91 in Dm 3.75 in

Pair of Murano Glass Scavo Vases in Ancient Roman Style, Italy, Mid-Century

By Cenedese Scavo, Seguso Vetri d'Arte, Cenedese, Franco Moretti, Archimede Seguso

Located in Bad Säckingen, DE

This elegant pair of Murano glass vases showcases the renowned Scavo technique, lending them an aged, ancient Roman look. Crafted by skilled Italian artisans, the surface of each vas...

Category

1960s Italian Vintage Classical Greek Urns

Materials

Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass

Large ‘ship-wreck’ wine amphora, Ancient Greece, circa 4th - 2nd century B.C.

$8,782

H 30.32 in W 14.97 in D 14.97 in

Large ‘ship-wreck’ wine amphora, Ancient Greece, circa 4th - 2nd century B.C.

Located in York, GB

Large ancient Greek ‘ship-wreck’ wine amphora circa 4th - 2nd century B.C. Terracotta, with sea encrustations, on a metal base 77 cm high Provenance: Swiss private collection; Schul...

Category

15th Century and Earlier Greek Antique Classical Greek Urns

Materials

Terracotta

19th Century French Bronze of a Classical Greek Warrior – Marble Base

$941

H 5.91 in W 5.91 in D 3.15 in

19th Century French Bronze of a Classical Greek Warrior – Marble Base

Located in Casteren, Noord-Brabant

This finely cast bronze sculpture, made in France in the late 19th century, is a striking representation of a classical Greek warrior — likely a hoplite — caught in the dynamic motio...

Category

1870s French Antique Classical Greek Urns

Materials

Belgian Black Marble, Bronze

Ancient-Style Mediterranean Terracotta Amphora with Twin Handles + Aged Patina

$410

H 26 in Dm 10 in

Ancient-Style Mediterranean Terracotta Amphora with Twin Handles + Aged Patina

Located in West Hollywood, CA

This exceptional ancient-style terracotta amphora vessel is a beautifully sculpted piece that evokes the timeless forms of classical Mediterranean antiquities. Modeled after traditio...

Category

19th Century European Antique Classical Greek Urns

Materials

Clay, Terracotta

Majolica Swan Jardinière Planter Style of Imperiale Nimy, Belgium 1900s

$341

H 9.45 in W 12.21 in D 6.3 in

Majolica Swan Jardinière Planter Style of Imperiale Nimy, Belgium 1900s

By Imperiale Royale, NIMY

Located in Verviers, BE

Majolica white swan jardinière Nimy, circa 1900. A real treasure for the ceramics' collector. Small chip to top rim not visible during use see photo. Please don't hesitate to get i...

Category

Early 1900s Belgian Antique Classical Greek Urns

Materials

Majolica

Ancient Greek Red-Figured Owl Skyphos

$5,000

H 3.5 in W 6.75 in D 4.25 in

Ancient Greek Red-Figured Owl Skyphos

Located in Los Angeles, CA

A spirited example of the popular Athenian export, the owl skyphos. This small cup depicts an owl on either side facing right, its head turned frontally, between two sprigs of laurel. Notes The skyphos is a deep, two-handled ancient Greek drinking cup...

Category

15th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Classical Greek Urns

Materials

Terracotta

Previously Available Items

Ancient Greek Wedding Vase with Geometric and Vegetal Motifs

Sold

H 11.82 in W 11.82 in D 13.78 in

Ancient Greek Wedding Vase with Geometric and Vegetal Motifs

Located in London, GB

This elegantly proportioned vase is an unusually large and well-preserved example of a ceremonial nuptial vessel produced in South Italy during the 3rd to 4th centuries BC. Decorated...

Category

15th Century and Earlier Antique Classical Greek Urns

Materials

Pottery

Pair of Black and White Panathenaic-Style Amphoras on Custom Bases

Sold

H 77 in W 22 in D 22 in

Pair of Black and White Panathenaic-Style Amphoras on Custom Bases

Located in Palm Desert, CA

Striking and sculptural, this pair of monumental amphoras is a modern homage to the Panathenaic prize vessels of ancient Athens. Each amphora features iconic black-figure-inspired mo...

Category

Early 2000s American Classical Greek Urns

Materials

Clay, Laminate, Wood

Pair of Grand Tour Classical Patinated Bronze Urns on Marble Bases

Sold

H 21 in W 10 in D 12 in

Pair of Grand Tour Classical Patinated Bronze Urns on Marble Bases

Located in Essex, MA

Pair of Late 19th/Early 20th Century Patinated Bronze Urns on Sienna Marble Bases. Classical figure and intricate handles. Grand Tour Would make incredible lamps

Category

Late 19th Century Italian Antique Classical Greek Urns

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Ancient Greek Style Hand Painted Kantharos, Drinking Cup With High Handles

Sold

H 6 in W 6 in D 3.5 in

Ancient Greek Style Hand Painted Kantharos, Drinking Cup With High Handles

Located in Stamford, CT

Ancient Greek style "kantharos", a drinking cup with handles. In the Apulian style of southern Italy. Quite elegant with a fine painting of a seated, robed sculptor on the front, and...

Category

Mid-20th Century Greek Classical Greek Urns

Materials

Copper

Pair of Large Cast Iron Garden Urns, Garden Planters

Sold

H 31 in Dm 25 in

Pair of Large Cast Iron Garden Urns, Garden Planters

Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight

Pair of Large Cast Iron Garden Urns, Garden Planters This is a superb and unusually large pair of cast iron urns The urns are in...

Category

Early 1900s Antique Classical Greek Urns

Materials

Iron

Greek Terra Cotta Kalyx-Kraters

Sold

H 9.5 in Dm 7.75 in

Greek Terra Cotta Kalyx-Kraters

Located in Houston, TX

Mid 20th century Attica terra cotta kalyx-kraters featuring gods and goddesses in early Classical Greek scenes. Two handle bowls were made for mixing wine and water and named after t...

Category

Mid-20th Century Greek Classical Greek Urns

Materials

Terracotta

Oversized Antique Cast Iron Garden Urn by Walbridge & Co, Painted, Circa 1890

Sold

H 26.5 in W 27.5 in D 27.5 in

Oversized Antique Cast Iron Garden Urn by Walbridge & Co, Painted, Circa 1890

By Walbridge & Co.

Located in Big Flats, NY

An antique oversized garden urn by Walbridge & Co. offers cast iron construction with embossed maker name, more recently painted, c1890 Measures...

Category

Late 19th Century American Antique Classical Greek Urns

Materials

Iron

Large Antique Carved White Marble Medici Vase Garden Urn

Sold

H 28.75 in Dm 21.66 in

Large Antique Carved White Marble Medici Vase Garden Urn

Located in London, GB

Large antique carved white marble Medici vase garden urn Continental, 20th Century Height 73cm, diameter 55cm Crafted in the 20th century, this ra...

Category

20th Century European Classical Greek Urns

Materials

Marble

Pair of Amphorae, III Century A.D., Greece

Sold

H 16.14 in Dm 6.69 in

Pair of Amphorae, III Century A.D., Greece

Located in Girona, Spain

Pair of Amphorae. Ceramic Very Decorative. Visual Restorations. With Certificate of Authenticity. Provenance: Belgian Collection before 1970 III Century A.D., Greece. Good Condition....

Category

15th Century and Earlier Greek Antique Classical Greek Urns

Materials

Terracotta

Maitland Smith Marble Cornucopia Vase

Sold

H 14.18 in W 13.78 in D 10.24 in

Maitland Smith Marble Cornucopia Vase

By Maitland Smith

Located in London, GB

A tessellated Cornucopia in Emperador Marble by Maitland Smith. A large vase/urn. A Tessellation (or Tiling) is when we cover a surface with a pattern of flat shapes so that there ar...

Category

Late 20th Century North American Classical Greek Urns

Materials

Marble

Pair of Carved Pink Stone Urns, 20th Century

Sold

H 14.18 in W 11.03 in D 11.03 in

Pair of Carved Pink Stone Urns, 20th Century

Located in Faversham, GB

A pair of decoratively carved pink stone urns. Perfect for garden or home alike. Price is for the pair. English, 20th century. Additional information: H 36 cm (H 29.1 inches) ...

Category

20th Century British Classical Greek Urns

Materials

Stone

Antique English Minton Classical Hand Painted & Gilt Porcelain Covered Urn 19thC

Sold

H 11.75 in W 6.25 in D 4.5 in

Antique English Minton Classical Hand Painted & Gilt Porcelain Covered Urn 19thC

By Minton

Located in Big Flats, NY

An antique English Minton covered urn offers Classical hand-painted reserves with a woman drawing water and, en verso, a cherub, on swirled pink strip groun...

Category

19th Century English Antique Classical Greek Urns

Materials

Porcelain, Paint

Classical Greek urns for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Classical Greek urns for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage urns created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects, building and garden elements, lighting and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, bronze and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Classical Greek urns made in a specific country, there are Europe, France, and North America pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original urns, popular names associated with this style include Galloway Pottery, Henry Cahieux and Ferdinand Barbedienne, Maitland Smith, and Walbridge & Co.. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for urns differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $509 and tops out at $15,000 while the average work can sell for $2,215.