Antique Vases

Mayfair Gallery’s stunning collection of antique vases includes a beautifully diverse range of pieces. From delicate glass vases to large-scale jardinieres, a vase from our varied collection will be sure to fill any decorative gap in your home with ease.

Vases have occupied a unique place in human history, with the earliest forms being used to store grain or oil. A significant development in vase design took place in ancient Greece, where vibrantly decorated clay vessels were used for a multitude of different purposes, including storage, cooking, and decoration.

Just a few decades later, Chinese potters under the Han dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD) were utilising a different technique, producing a material that would later become known as porcelain. During the following centuries, porcelain became considered the finest type of vase pottery, on account of its bright white colour, delicacy, and resistance to heat and water.

By the 18^th and 19^th centuries, European makers had cracked the formula for creating hard-paste porcelain wares, following the introduction of Asian porcelainware to the European world in the 16^th century. Mayfair Gallery is proud to present several exquisite 19^th century porcelain vases, from some of the most esteemed makers of the era. Floral-encrusted pastel creations by Meissen are accompanied by monumental vessels from the Sèvres manufactory. Our Sèvres pieces are particularly spectacular, combining painted mythological scenes with their trademark navy ground, mounted by sculptural ormolu decoration.

The introduction of Eastern ceramics to the Western world also ignited a degree of synthesis between these two styles. Intricate Chinese vases, crafted using the complex cloisonné enamel technique, would often be combined with 19^th century gilt-bronze mounts by famed makers such as Barbedienne, with the mounts cast in an Orientalist style that often mirrored the designs of the vase itself. Find a number of these ‘combination’ vessels within the Mayfair Gallery collection.

Vases continued to be used for decorative purposes in the 20^th century. Often crafted from glass or metal, these vessels introduced modern and abstract designs that mirrored the dynamic cultural landscape of the time. Mayfair Gallery’s collection of antique vases includes several exceptional 20^th century creations, from Bohemian glassware to sinuous Art Nouveau pieces.

Whether you are looking for a functional piece for flower arrangements, or a large-scale vessel for outdoor decoration, our collection contains antique vases to suit any taste.

Learn more about the history of antique vases in our blog here.