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Neoclassical Ceramics

NEOCLASSICAL STYLE

Neoclassical design emerged in Europe in the 1750s, as the Age of Enlightenment reached full flower. Neoclassical furniture took its cues from the styles of ancient Rome and Athens: symmetrical, ordered, dignified forms with such details as tapered and fluted chair and table legs, backrest finials and scrolled arms.

Over a period of some 20 years, first in France and later in Britain, neoclassical design — also known as Louis XVI, or Louis Seize — would supersede the lithe and curvaceous Rococo or Louis XV style.

The first half of the 18th century had seen a rebirth of interest in classical antiquity. The "Grand Tour" of Europe, codified as a part of the proper education of a patrician gentleman, included an extended visit to Rome. Some ventured further, to sketch the ruins of ancient Greece. These drawings and others — particularly those derived from the surprising and rich archaeological discoveries in the 1730s and ’40s at the sites of the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum — caused great excitement among intellectuals and aesthetes alike.

Neoclassical furniture is meant to reflect both grace and power. The overall appearance of neoclassical chairs, tables and cabinetry is strong and rectilinear. These pieces are, in effect, classical architecture in miniature: chair and table legs are shaped like columns; cabinets are constructed with elements that mirror friezes and pediments.

Yet neoclassicism is enlivened by gilt and silver leaf, marquetry, and carved and applied ornamental motifs based on Greek and Roman sculpture: acanthus leaves, garlands, laurel wreaths, sheaves of arrow, medallions and chair splats are carved in the shapes of lyres and urns. Ormolu — or elaborate bronze gilding — was essential to French design in the 18th and 19th centuries as a cornerstone of the neoclassical and Empire styles.

As you can see from the furniture on these pages, there is a bit of whimsy in such stately pieces — a touch of lightness that will always keep neoclassicism fresh.

Find antique neoclassical furniture today on 1stDibs.

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Style: Neoclassical
Royal Copenhagen, Biscuit Sculpture After Berthel Thorvaldsen
Located in København, Copenhagen
Royal Copenhagen, biscuit sculpture after Berthel Thorvaldsen. Portrait of Berthel Thorvaldsen. Approx. 1870s. Marked. First factory quality. In excellent condition, burning cra...
Category

1870s Danish Antique Neoclassical Ceramics

Materials

Ceramic

Pair of Triton Candlesticks. Palmer C1780.
Located in Melbourne, Victoria
An exceptionally rare pair of Triton candlesticks, in black basalt with gold lustre. The design is copied from Wedgwood, who took it from Sir Willi...
Category

Late 18th Century English Antique Neoclassical Ceramics

Materials

Stoneware

Theodore Haviland Gotham Ceramic Saucers in White and Gold, Set of 10
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
A set of 10 ceramic plates by Gotham by Theodore Haviland. Each saucer is in a light cream white hue, and features a thick gold painted band around the center as well as on the inter...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Neoclassical Ceramics

Materials

Gold

Antique Large Biscuit Figure of Semi-Nude Woman in Classical Style
Located in København, Copenhagen
Antique large biscuit figure of semi-nude woman in classical style. Measures: 37 x 11 cm. Unstamped. In very good condition.
Category

Early 20th Century Neoclassical Ceramics

Vintage Portuguese Majolica Cream Majolica Plates by Secla, Set of 6
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
A set of six ceramic cream color divided plates by Secla. This wonderful set of Portuguese plates will be a fabulous touch at your next dinner party. Eac...
Category

20th Century Portuguese Neoclassical Ceramics

Materials

Ceramic

Four Italian Ancient Dishes, Antonio Ferretti, Lodi, circa 1770-1780
Located in Milano, IT
Assortment of 4 dishes with braided rim Antonio Ferretti Manufacture Lodi, circa 1770-1780 Maiolica polychrome decorated “a piccolo fuoco” (third fire). Measures: 14 x 10 in (35.5 x 25.5 cm); 12.2 x 8.39 in (31 x 21.3 cm); 10.4 x 9.65 in (26.5 x 24.5 cm); 10.8 x 9.61 in (27.5 x 24.4 cm). Weight: 4.4 lb (1.998 kg) State of conservation: some chips due to use on the edges and on the parts in relief. The four different dishes have a foot with a low lip from which extends a wide, flat, slanted rim resembling a basket weave. The small handles are painted green: they resemble wickerwork in the two oval dishes and take the form of a sinuous branch in the round ones. The third fire decoration is inspired by the naturalistic floral botanical patterns on the ceramics produced by the Hannong family in Strasbourg. Here the pattern is defined by the rapidity and subtlety of the brushstrokes and the result is particularly tasteful, characterized by compositional intelligence and pictorial expertise. A main corolla, either a wild or garden rose, is set slightly off center in each well. From this extends a thin stem holding a small secondary bud and there are small field florets dotting the composition to lend volume to the delicate bunch of flowers. On the brim, small polychrome flowers add color to the weave, accompanied by lanceolate leaves of a very intense green. There exist few and very rare examples for comparison with this morphology: a round plate - entirely consistent with those in question - has been dated to around 1775 (S. Levy, Maioliche settecentesche lombarde e venete, Milano 1962, tav. 200). Two other dishes with a basket rim, but with parallel striped brim decoration, were exhibited in the 1995 exhibition on Lodi ceramics; the attribution to the Lombard town near Milan is therefore almost exclusively derived from the decoration called "alla rosa contornata" or "alla vecchia Lodi" and constitutes one of the most popular decorations during the eighteenth century. (M. L. Gelmini, in Maioliche lodigiane del '700 (cat. mostra Lodi), Milano 1995, pp. 31 p. 162-163 nn. 181-182). This decorative choice represented a strong point of the Lodi factory, which established itself thanks to the vivid nature of the colors made possible by the introduction of a new technique perfected by Paul Hannong in Strasbourg and which Antonio Ferretti introduced in Italy. This production process, called “piccolo fuoco” (third fire), allowed the use of a greater number of colors than in the past; in particular, the purple of Cassius, a red made from gold chloride, was introduced. Its use allowed for many more tones and shades, from pink to purple. The Ferretti family had started their Maiolica manufacturing business in Lodi in 1725. The forefather Simpliciano had started the business by purchasing an ancient furnace in 1725 and, indeed, we have evidence of the full activity of the furnaces from April of the same year (Novasconi-Ferrari-Corvi, 1964, p. 26 n. 4). Simpliciano had started a production of excellence also thanks to the ownership of clay quarries in Stradella, not far from Pavia. The production was so successful that in 1726 a decree of the Turin Chamber came to prohibit the importation of foreign ceramics, especially from Lodi, to protect internal production (G. Lise, La ceramica a Lodi, Lodi 1981, p. 59). In its initial stages, the manufacture produced maolicas painted with the “a gran fuoco” (double fire) technique, often in turquoise monochrome, with ornamentation derived from compositional modules in vogue in Rouen in France. This was also thanks to the collaboration of painters like Giorgio Giacinto Rossetti, who placed his name on the best specimens next to the initials of the factory. In 1748 Simpliciano made his will (Gelmini, 1995, p. 30) appointing his son Giuseppe Antonio (known as Antonio) as universal heir. After 1750, when Simpliciano passed away, Antonio was directly involved in the Maiolica factory, increasing its fortunes and achieving a reputation on a European level. Particularly important was the aforementioned introduction in 1760 of the innovative “a piccolo fuoco” (third fire) processing, which, expanding the ornamental repertoire with Saxon-inspired floral themes, could commercially compete with the German porcelains that had one of its most renowned offerings in the naturalistic Deutsche Blumen. Antonio Ferretti understood and promoted this technique and this decoration, proposing it in a fresher and more corrective version, less linked to botanical tables...
Category

1770s Italian Antique Neoclassical Ceramics

Materials

Maiolica

Royal Copenhagen Relief by Thorvaldsen, 'Day', Biscuit, Late 1800s
Located in København, Copenhagen
Royal Copenhagen relief by Thorvaldsen, 'day', biscuit. Late 1800s. Diameter: 26 cm. In perfect condition. 1st. factory quality.
Category

Late 19th Century Danish Antique Neoclassical Ceramics

Round Commemorative Plate of President Nixon 37th President
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
A circular cream round commemorative plate of President Nixon. Reads Richard M. Nixon 37th President. Gold detail around the edges, with the image of P...
Category

20th Century North American Neoclassical Ceramics

Materials

Ceramic

Circa 1860 English Prattware Compote
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Prattware compote, circa 1860, English. Marked No. 123. Prattware is lead-glazed earthenware produced in English from the 1790s thru much of the 19th century. Creamware body decorate...
Category

1860s English Antique Neoclassical Ceramics

Materials

Ceramic

Bing and Grøndahl after Thorvaldsen, Antique Biscuit Wall Plaque, 1870s / 80s
Located in København, Copenhagen
Bing and Grøndahl after Thorvaldsen. Antique biscuit wall plaque. 1870s / 80s. Measures: 17.5 x 11.5 cm. In excellent condition. Stamped. 1st f...
Category

1870s Danish Antique Neoclassical Ceramics

Materials

Ceramic

Veterans Administration 1930 Ceramic Restaurantware Gravy Boat in Blue and White
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
A crisp white ceramic gravy boat with Veterans Administration 1930 in blue marked on the front. This piece is by Shenango China and is a well-known make...
Category

20th Century American Neoclassical Ceramics

Materials

Ceramic

J. Bromley for B&G "American Drummer Boy, 1st Maryland, circa 1776"
Located in København, Copenhagen
J. Bromley for B&G "American Drummer Boy, 1st Maryland, circa 1776". A B&G bisquit figurine. No. 698/750. Measures: Height 38 c...
Category

20th Century Danish Neoclassical Ceramics

Antique B&G 'Bing & Grondahl' Rare Biscuit Figure, Late 19th Century
Located in København, Copenhagen
Antique B&G (Bing & Grondahl) Rare biscuit figure. Measures: 20 cm. x 11 cm. 1st. factory quality, in perfect condition. Marked, late 19th century.
Category

Late 19th Century Danish Antique Neoclassical Ceramics

Light Blue and Gray Ceramic Majolica Amphora Hand Painted Francois Boucher Italy
Located in Recanati, IT
Large ceramic amphora with handles, made and painted entirely by hand, central Italy production, year 2009. The decoration on the vase is a reproduction of a painting by Francois Bou...
Category

Early 2000s Italian Neoclassical Ceramics

Materials

Ceramic, Majolica

B&G / Bing & Grondahl Bisque Figure after Thorvaldsen, circa 1870
Located in København, Copenhagen
B&G / Bing & Grondahl Bisque figure after Thorvaldsen, circa 1870. In good condition. Stamped: B & G Eneret (indistinct) Measures: 19 x 15.5 cm.
Category

1870s Danish Antique Neoclassical Ceramics

Ancient Pair Coffee Pots, Pasquale Rubati Manufacture Milan, 1770 circa
Located in Milano, IT
Pair of small coffee pots. Manufacture of Pasquale Rubati Milan, 1770 Circa Maiolica polychrome decorated “a piccolo fuoco” (third fire). a) height 7.87 x 5.51 x 3.93 in (20 x 14 x ...
Category

1760s Italian Antique Neoclassical Ceramics

Materials

Maiolica

Ceramic Drug Jar or Syrup Jar, Possibly Italy, 18th Century
Located in Madrid, ES
The decoration of ceramics in blue tones on a white background was common in Europe as far back as the 17th century (Dutch and English pieces, works in Talavera de la Reina in Spain,...
Category

18th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Ceramics

Materials

Ceramic

19th Century Porcelain Huqqa with Bird Paintings
Located in London, GB
This huqqa (or hookah) is a wonderful item which is crafted from porcelain and finely hand painted and parcel gilt. The huqqa was created in the late 19th century, most likely in Rus...
Category

Late 19th Century Russian Antique Neoclassical Ceramics

Materials

Porcelain

Basket-Weave Teapot in Black Basalt, Wedgwood C1790
Located in Melbourne, Victoria
A most attractive and unusual teapot in black basalt, moulded with basket-weave decoration and interlocking arches. Exhibited: Wedgwood, Master Potter ...
Category

Late 18th Century English Antique Neoclassical Ceramics

Materials

Stoneware

Pair of Serving Platters by Versace for Rosenthal
Located in Atlanta, GA
Designed by Gianni Versace for Rosenthal Studio Line, these "Le Voyage De Marco Polo" service platters or charger plates features beautiful and detaile...
Category

20th Century German Neoclassical Ceramics

Materials

Ceramic

Villafeliche Jug, Aragon, Spain, 18th Century
Located in Madrid, ES
Late Baroque pottery jug made and decorated with high temperature glazes over a white slip of tin. These motifs are combined with enameled decorations in relief obtained mold. The typology of the piece combines Italian jug with handle ovoid belly and vertical bow, with the peak jug typically Spanish, characterized by the outgoing peak of the mouth. Decorations reveal the oriental influence, with large floral bouquets arranged asymmetrically and complex landscapes with architecture and palm trees, which remove some figures, such as totally Western. The reasons appear pincelados in manganese black, and colored with ocher, blue, green and red, mainly enamels. Aragon ceramic least a century old will be characterized by a strong own, combined with the influences of personality Talavera and Catalonia. You will have three main centers: Teruel, Muel and Villafeliche, the first two with tradition since the 16th century, and the third created in the late 17th century. The Villafeliche will generally be very popular ceramics...
Category

18th Century Spanish Antique Neoclassical Ceramics

Materials

Ceramic

Black Basalt Teapot with Enamel Decoration, Probably Spode C1800
Located in Melbourne, Victoria
Globular teapot in black basalt, painted with matt white, red and ice blue. Judging by the shape and general appearance, probably by Spode, in imitation of Wedgwood designs of the pe...
Category

Late 18th Century English Antique Neoclassical Ceramics

Materials

Stoneware

Navette, with Ladle, Wedgwood, C1790
Located in Melbourne, Victoria
An extraordinary navette, or cream boat, in black basalt with encaustic decoration. Complete with matching ladle: a rare find indeed.
Category

Late 18th Century English Antique Neoclassical Ceramics

Materials

Stoneware

19th Century Sevres Style Trio Jardinieres
Located in London, GB
An unusual trio of jardinière and cache-pots, in the Sevres style, hand-painted with love scenes after Watteau on one side whilst the other side is decorated with flower panels. Each...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Ceramics

Materials

Porcelain

Neoclassical ceramics for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Neoclassical ceramics for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 18th Century and Earlier, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage ceramics created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include serveware, ceramics, silver and glass and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with ceramic and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Neoclassical ceramics made in a specific country, there are Europe, Italy, and Spain pieces for sale on 1stDibs. 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 ceramics differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $1,945 and tops out at $2,973 while the average work can sell for $2,459.

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