Vintage Wedgwood Blue Jasperware Miniature Vase

Mid 20th Century/Staffordshire, England

Josiah Wedgwood made fine ceramics in Staffordshire, England, starting in the eighteenth century and building an international reputation for quality. This distinctive stoneware was created to mimic ancient cameos and carved stones, capturing a strong revival of interest in classical antiquity. Artisans pressed white clay ornaments by hand into molds and applied them carefully onto a dyed ceramic body.

Well-to-do households displayed these decorative pieces on mantelpieces and cabinets to show refined taste and an appreciation for classical art. They were used mainly as small vases for single stems or simply as ornaments to embellish parlor rooms. Production of these traditional decorative items continued through the nineteenth and twentieth centuries as popular decorative gifts.