Josiah Wedgwood Furniture
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 English Aesthetic Movement Antique Josiah Wedgwood Furniture
Creamware
20th Century American Josiah Wedgwood Furniture
Glass
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Josiah Wedgwood Furniture
Ceramic
Late 20th Century American Minimalist Josiah Wedgwood Furniture
Sterling Silver, Brass
Mid-20th Century American Josiah Wedgwood Furniture
Sterling Silver
18th Century Antique Josiah Wedgwood Furniture
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century Chinese Mid-Century Modern Josiah Wedgwood Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century Josiah Wedgwood Furniture
Teak
Mid-20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Josiah Wedgwood Furniture
Glass
20th Century Tibetan Tibetan Josiah Wedgwood Furniture
Metal
Early 20th Century Josiah Wedgwood Furniture
Glass
Late 19th Century English Antique Josiah Wedgwood Furniture
Creamware
1990s Moroccan Tribal Josiah Wedgwood Furniture
Ceramic
