English Vases

This extraordinary First Edition Wedgwood rendering of the legendary Portland Vase is one of the rarest masterpieces of Josiah Wedgwood, the most important ceramics manufacturer of the 18th century. A tour de force of ceramic art, the Portland Vase First Editions are regarded as one of the greatest ceramic accomplishments of the 18th century, and they are a testament to the superior skill of Josiah Wedgwood, his extraordinary ambition and his tireless dedication to perfection. One of the very few First Editions still in private hands, this exceptional Wedgwood Portland Vase is one of the most important works of ceramics on the market. The story of Wedgwood and the Portland Vase is legendary. The original Portland Vase is the ancient world's most famous decorative arts masterpiece—a cameo glass vase dating to circa 25 CE with a frieze representing the myth of Peleus and Thetis, initially thought to be carved from stone. When it was first rediscovered around 1582, it captivated the world with its opaque white cameo figures over its rich blue background. After the vase was excavated it was owned by Cardinal Barberini, whose family later sold it to the Duke of Hamilton who eventually sold it to the Duchess of Portland, from whom the famed vase now takes its name. The famed British sculptor John Flaxman was likely the first to have brought the vase to Wedgwood’s attention. In a letter dated February 5, 1784, he wrote: “I wish you may soon come to town to see William Hamilton’s vase, it is the finest production of Art that has been brought to England and seems to be the very apex of perfection to which you are endeavouring to bring your bisque and jasper…” Indeed, the Portland Vase is a masterpiece of cameo-cutting, with a stunning frieze of opaque white cameo glass over its translucent deep blue form. Its beauty and translucence would inspire Wedgwood to undertake his years-long endeavor to precisely replicate the original in porcelain. Upon closer examination, Wedgwood realized the vase was not made of stone or earthenware, but of cameo glass—a technique so advanced it remains the masterpiece of cameo-cutting. Today, the vase is housed in the British Museum, where it is the second most viewed antiquity, only after the Rosetta Stone. It then took Wedgwood several painstaking years to craft his unparalleled copy of the vase, during which he perfected the jasperware technique that would become his crowning achievement. To this day, the renowned porcelain firm regards the vase as its most momentous triumph, so much so that the vessel’s silhouette is incorporated into the Wedgwood logo. The four years it took Wedgwood to complete his vase were not without tribulations. From the start, Wedgwood encountered numerous problems with his copies, from cracking and blistering to the difficulty of replicating the translucent effects of the original. The first acceptable copy was produced in October 1789 and sent to Wedgwood’s physician and friend Erasmus Darwin, the grandfather of Charles Darwin. Wedgwood presented another copy to Queen Charlotte in May 1790 and afterward organized a private exhibition of the vase at the Portland House in London. The viewing proved so popular that Wedgwood was forced to restrict the show to 1,900 visitors. Much of London wished to see Wedgwood’s greatest major achievement. Perhaps the highest praise of Wedgwood’s copy came from the famed artist Sir Joshua Reynolds, the founder of the British Royal Academy: “I can venture to declare it a correct and faithful imitation, both in regard to the general effect, and the most minute detail of the part.” Over the next few years, Wedgwood's oven records listed 43 First Edition copies of the Portland Vase produced between 1791 and 1796, 11 of which were broken during the firing process. In all, it is believed around 30 First Edition vases were completed, though an unknown number of these were somewhat damaged—one of these imperfect examples is currently held by the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. The perfect examples such as ours have found their way into the most important museum collections in the world. The British Museum (London), Art Institute of Chicago, Birmingham Museum of Art, Museum of Fine Arts (Boston) and the Fitzwilliam Museum (Cambridge, UK), among others, all hold one of these highly coveted vases in their collections. In terms of technical achievement, the First Edition Portland Vases...

A very fine and attractive pair of Coalport vases and covers, painted to one side with panels of an idyllic castle scenes and to the other sides with a panel of colourful flowers, th...

Majolica vase which features two seated frogs, either side of a screen. Coloration: Brown, green, blue, are predominant.  

Arts & Crafts stylised pewter vase Designed by Archibald Knox Stamped Liberty & Co No 0927 Circa 1903 Height 29cm. Diameter 17cm

A rare and exceptional Doulton Lambeth art pottery beaker shaped vessel beautifully decorated with floral panels by renowned artist John Broad and dated 1880. This unusually finely m...

A pair of large blue glaze pottery vases with three twisting handles to the necks. Stamped to the bases: Royal Barum Ware. C H Brannam. Possibly made for Liberty of London. Heig...

Sage green and lilac jasperware. Each pyriform vessel decorated with figural medallions beneath floral garlands, further decorated with leaf and palmette bands, the domed cover with ...

Large English Victorian copper pot or vase dating to the late 19th century, circa 1870-1880. The body is in globular shape, riveted neck with roll...

Pair of 19th century Coalport scenic cabinet vases, each one with a blue-gray background, finely gilt and painted with oval landscape vignettes,...

Painted with colorful flowers and green leaves on a blue ground. Impressed marks, circular paper label, painted signature in blue.

Barnaby Marriott Powell. Whitefriars Model number 8473. A large Mid-Century rare 10 inch ribbed amber coloured glass vase.

A fine English hand crafted large turned and carved oak wood vase by Richard Chapman (b.1951) and dating from the 20th century. The large bottle shaped...

AMBIANIC presents Late Victorian Silver Mounted Ceramic Pottery Blackjack Pitcher Doulton Lambeth mark of Saunders & Shepherd London 1894 7 h x 5.25 d x 3.5 w Preowned original vinta...

This is an ironstone Vase in the blue Hawthorne and fence and bowl pattern, made by Mason's Ironstone of Lane Delph, Staffordshire, England, during the first half of the 19th century...

Dr C Dresser for Linthorpe A large vase with raining green and subtle blue glaze. A chip to the rim and some nibbles and a chip to the base. No cracks, still rings well.

This beautiful crystal vase is made by Waterford and is from the Evolution series. acid etched on the bottom circa the 1990's. Beautiful colors and condition.

Stein 2 by Lina Rincon Dimensions: 20 x 30 x 30 cm Materials: Glass, stone, metal Colors and dimensions may slightly vary, each piece is unique and ma...

Rare, antique, large 19th century exhibition ironstone pottery vase by Morley & Ashworth, for the 1862 International Exhibition. Morley & Ashworth had taken over the designs of Mas...

Each finely painted on the front and reverse with Teniers-style peasants at various pursuits reserved within a shaped panel and elaborate tooled gilt border, and affixed on either side with a gilt-heightened foliate scroll handle. Chelsea gold anchor...

Pair of Minton Majolica flower holders which feature a fantail pigeon, standing on a leafy base. Flower inserts around the tail. Colouration: white, gre...

A rare and unusual castle Hedingham pottery twin handled puzzle vase or jug designed by Edward Bingham (British, 1829-1914) and dating between 1864 an...

Antique Art Nouveau hammered Sterling Silver flower vase, Birmingham 1902 Henry Matthews. The vase on plain moulded pedestal base, rising to plain ...

A stunning pair of vases in black basalt. Known as Apotheosis Vases, or sometimes Pegasus Vases, it's rare to find a pair of these; still rare to find the...

A Wedgwood Portland Jasperware Vase, 19th Century. A beautiful pale Yellow color with matching stand. This vase is "Full Size" and in excellent condition for it's 19th century age....

A Majolica glazed spill vase from the Staffordshire pottery region of England, attributed to Wardle & Co. circa 1860. The vase is molded as a woman’s hand holding an upright ear of...

Coalport Porcelain (English, 1795-1926 then part of the Wedgwood company), circa 1885. An Exhibition quality porcelain moon flask style vase featuring a cobalt ground and grouping of highly detailed enamel cranes to one side grazing around a pond with 24kt gold calla lilies in the background. The verso with a similar scene of two cranes likely a mating pair. Each side is surrounded by masterfully detailed sunflowers and furthermore by Rococo motifs and enameled scrollwork of polychrome enamel embellishments. Please note, unfortunately at one point this vase was made into a lamp and the base has been replaced with a gilt metal foot. Measuring: 19" h, 13.5" w, 7.5" d. Provenance: An important Cape Cod...

A lovely large pair of authentic antique 19th-Century hand blown mercury glass decorative vases from England. These stunning vases have stylish shapes with hand painted floral design...

Pair of large English Regency style red and black lacquered 6 sided Chinoiserie decorated floor vases on small bases (19th Cent.) (Priced as Pair)'  

This listing features a pair of Rococo style vases that are a beautiful cobalt color with depictions of two pairs of adorable cherubs. There are so many little details on these vases...

This Late Victorian English Arts & Crafts Royal Doulton Lambeth stoneware amphora by Frank A. Butler was done in Pattern no. 960. This twin-handled vessel is decorated with a mottled...

This pair of antique stoneware vases were done by the renowned potter, George Tinworth for the Doulton Lambeth factory of England in approximate...

Signed Frank Butler.

Minton Majolica vase which features grapes and vine leaves, two lion head handles and a (fixed) pedestal base. Colouration: turquoise, pink, ochre...

Arts & Crafts pottery pouring jug with stylised floral design Lead glazed earthenware with raised slip decoration Elton Sunflower Pottery Elton painted mark Circa 1910

Pair of Cornish Serpentine stone urn vases English, 20th Century Height 20.5cm, diameter 8cm This pair of very interesting vases is crafted from very fine Cornish serpentine, a beau...

A sweet vintage vase from Moorcroft, featuring a stunning pomegranate pattern in beautiful cobalt blue. The piece is signed by and stamped Moorcroft, made in England, 32 adding to it...

A very fine quality salt glazed studio pottery bottle flagon shaped vase by Dorset based potter Warwick Parker (b.1940) dating from the 20th century. Th...

A large ironstone vase by Burgess & Campbell, circa 1900, in cream glaze.

Margaret Gilmour, attributed. A Glasgow School brass planter with stylized rose and floral details.

A very unusual Aesthetic Movement biscuit fired Doulton Lambeth stoneware vase pigment hand-painted with stylized foliage and geometric designs by Minnie G Thompson...

A beautiful and quite large Regency period neoclassical early 19th century round-shaped blue John Covered vase or urns raised on a Belgian black marble, Carr...

An antique Blue John Campana vase, dating to circa 1820. Made from striking Blue John, this handsome urn displays banded veining in a classic campana form. It features gadrooned deta...

Hallmarked in London in 1898 by Charles Stuart Harris, this attractive, Antique, Victorian, Sterling Silver Vase, features chased floral decoration throughout and a gilt interior. Th...

Pair of 1940's English porcelain vases with gilt details. Measurements Height: 9" Diameter: 4.75".

English Pottery Vases decorated with Flowers and Leaves, Douton Lambeth, 1870s-80s The pottery mallet-shaped vases are hand painted with brown leaves and white flowers on a green ...

An Arts and Crafts copper and hand wrought iron conical flower vase.

With Greek/Roman classical figural motifs on a pink ground with neck key fret border, handles with gilt molded flowerheads.

A Highly Important and Very Rare Pair of 19th Century English Mintons Olive Green Ground Pâte-Sur-Pâte Porcelain Covered Moon-Flask Form Vases, Signed by Louis Solon. These Mintons p...

Derby Porcelain Shaped Vase with May Blossom Decoration, circa 1770-1775 The four-sided shaped Baluster vase and cover with square-shaped neck and foot is designed with a design of multiple applied tightly packed May blossoms or Mayflowers (Schneeballen) with yellow stamen and a tint of aqua blue to the edge of each flower while the ground behind has a light purple wash creating a stunning effect after the Meissen Schneeballen...

This is a splendid three-well ink stand or writing desk set made by Chamberlains Worcester in about 1810. The ink stand contains a stand with a pen holder or candle holder in the sha...

An important small Frederick Carder Art Nouveau Rose Flambé Alabaster vase by Stevens and Williams originally from their own museum and probably unique. Alabaster glass was first cre...

A E Jones. A pair of Arts and Crafts hand-hammered copper vases with silver teardrop decorationThe fine silver decoration to the rim and to the teardrop decoration is an egg and dart pattern, the teardrop surmounted with leaf detailing. A E Jones used this fine egg and dart silver detailing often, but what is unusual is that each silver teardrop outlines an actual repoussé teardrop in the copper body of each vase.The base of the vase is stamped with the design number 2466. This number also points to a design by Jesson, Birkett & Co. It seems between 1905 and 1910 A E Jones company started working alongside the firm of Jesson Birkett & Co and it appears that both firms made many of the same designs.Price for the pair.Albert Edward Jones (1878-1954) worked for the church metalworkers, Hardman Powell. He took classes at and was a member of the Birmingham School of Art around 1900-1902 and would have been influenced by Arthur Dixon, Arthur Gaskin, Bernard Cuzner, and Edward R Taylor...

This is a beautiful garniture of five vases made by an unknown English maker in about 1820-1825. The garniture consists of one campana vase and four differently sized spill vases. Th...

Painted by Joseph Wareham and gilded by John Robins.

This is a pair of beautiful small vases in the "shell and scroll" design with elaborately moulded rim picked out in gilt. One vase is maroon with elegant gilding and a beautiful flow...

A particularly successful vase in black basalt, with simple, classical deocration or swags and berries & leaves. This vase comes from the Wedgwood & Bentley period, during which the ...

Hallmarked in Birmingham in 1899 by Walker & Hall, this attractive pair of Victorian, Antique Sterling Silver Vases, feature chased decoration to the bodies. Each vase measures 7"(18...

A large green glazed Hurlingham pottery vase stamped and numbered underneath. Cream glazed on the inside. Some marks to the green glaze which should be visible in the photos, otherwi...

A Very Stylish Identical Pair of English Royal Doulton Lambeth English Moulded Salt-Glaze Stoneware Pottery Ewers of compact proportions. Each of bulbous form with wavy flared rim ...

A fine antique Staffordshire pottery figural flat back spill vase. In the form of a gypsy family with livestock gathered around a cookin...