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Classical Roman Decorative Objects

CLASSICAL ROMAN STYLE

During Mount Vesuvius’ eruption in 79 A.D., Pompeii and Herculaneum in today’s Italy were preserved as they were on the day of their destruction. Particularly at Herculaneum, furnishings were carbonized beneath volcanic ash. This was pivotal to understanding how Classical Roman furniture was designed. Archaeological investigations and printed reproductions of discoveries would influence styles evoking this ancient civilization, from the Renaissance to neoclassicism.

While knowledge of Classical Roman furniture comes from rare surviving pieces, it is also derived from frescoes and sculptures portraying Roman life. Much of Roman art, architecture and design was informed by Greece — Roman architect, military engineer and writer Marcus Vitruvius Pollio, whose timeless De architectura is taught in contemporary architecture classes and pays tribute to classical architecture, visited Greece while working under Julius Caesar and admired the country’s architectural developments. The Roman solium references the Greek thronos, a stately chair of honor with an upright form and footstool. As the Roman Empire spread across Europe and into North Africa and Western Asia, the expansion of trade for silver, silk, marble and wood allowed for more luxurious designs.

Classical Roman furniture was made from bronze, wood and stone — in particular, marble — with ornate touches like tortoiseshell veneers, bone and glass inlays and claw feet. Ornaments depicting lion heads and mythological figures were sculpted from silver, bronze and ivory. Compared to the decorative attention given to the mosaic floors and wall paintings, however, furniture for even a wealthy house was minimal. It focused on the necessities for guests arriving for both socializing and business and the rooms housing family, relatives and enslaved people.

The triclinium dining room had banquet couches, items so prized they were sometimes interred with the deceased. Tall bronze or terracotta candelabras held oil lamps for lighting. Carved marble tables reflected status, while the lararium home shrine demonstrated faith.

Find a collection of Classical Roman decorative objects, tables, seating and other furniture on 1stDibs.

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Style: Classical Roman
Magnificent Bust of the Greek God Ares
Located in London, GB
Magnificent Bust of Ares Ancient Greek God of War His Head slightly turned to his Right Plaster
Category

20th Century English Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Plaster

Puddingstone Mill from Roman France
Located in London, GB
Carved from a mosaic-like rock, this striking sculpture is the lower grinding stone from a Gallo-Roman millstone - a powerful and aesthetic symbol of life two millennia ago. It is ma...
Category

15th Century and Earlier French Antique Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Stone

19th Century Bust – F. Aulde – Gilt Bronze – César
Located in Casteren, Noord-Brabant
Elegant late 19th century gilt bronze bust of César, attributed to French maker F. Aulde. Executed in a neoclassical style, the bust represents a Roman figure—likely Julius Caesar—dr...
Category

1880s French Antique Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Bronze, Ormolu

1970s Set of Two Cenedese Style Blue and Gray Scavo Murano Glass Vases
Located in Aci Castello, IT
Two Scavo Murano glass vases hand-crafted in Venice in the Seventies, 18 cm is the height of the other vase, they are in very good condition. Scavo glass is a type of glass that has...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Murano Glass

Castilian Imports Bronze Column Candlesticks, 20th Century
Located in San Juan Capistrano, CA
Castilian Imports Bronze Column Candlesticks. 20th Century.
Category

20th Century Indian Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Bronze, Iron

Rustic Travertine Stone Sculpture, Roman Empire - 130 AD, Gallery Display, HAAND
Located in St Petersburg, US
Inspired by the grandeur of the ancient Hadrian's Gate, this handcrafted travertine sculpture captures the essence of history and craftsmanship. Commissioned in the year 130 AD to h...
Category

2010s European Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Stone, Travertine, Marble

Mid-20th Century Italian Basalt Tazza
Located in Chicago, IL
This mid-20th century Italian basalt porcelain tazza is a refined study in classical elegance. With a wide, low bowl gracefully elevated on a turned foot, its proportions echo the ti...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

An Antique French 19th Century Bronze Warwick Urn
Located in London, GB
The vase is made of bronze and features a large, bell-shaped body adorned with intricate reliefs. Its design includes classical motifs such as Bacchic (related to Bacchus, the god o...
Category

19th Century French Antique Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Bronze

Wedgwood Jasperware lidded boxes serving bowls classicism Mid-Century England
Located in Wien, AT
The set of Wedgwood consists of three lidded boxes in different shape and design and two small serving bowls of which one can be used as an ashtray. All is made of the famous but r...
Category

1980s English Vintage Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic

Roman Marble Head Fragment
Located in London, GB
This fine Roman marble head fragment, with broad nose, soft lips, and bearded chin, captures the likeness of one of the most important playwrights of...
Category

15th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Marble

Roman Marble Foot with Sandal
Located in London, GB
This evocative Roman marble foot fragment is a timeless remnant of the overlifesized sculpture it was once part of. Sensitively carved and polished, the outer sole of the sandal rema...
Category

15th Century and Earlier Antique Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Marble

Polished Roman Marble Head of a Satyr
Located in London, GB
This finely polished Roman marble head of a satyr is an impressive and characterful sculpture. Depicted with full, parted lips, with teeth visible in between, a pointed goat’s ear, t...
Category

15th Century and Earlier Antique Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Marble

Majestic Pink Onyx Sculpture Vase Subjects Roses Leaves Floral Handmade in Italy
Located in Ancona, Marche
"Le Vie en Rose" is not just a vase or rather a sculpture, imagine it as a memory, the memory of a nobility now dissolved, a suspended memory, forgotten in a secret garden, of those ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Onyx, Marble

Scultura di Grande Torso maschile stile classico- made in Italy
Located in Tarquinia, IT
Torso maschile imponente, peso circa kg 800, scolpito su marmo bianco Carrara poggiante su base travertino Romano ispirato al Doriforo che si trova agli uffizi di Firenze. Modello or...
Category

Early 2000s Italian Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Carrara Marble

Ancient Roman Bronze Herm on Stand, 1st-4th Century AD
Located in Bradenton, FL
Ancient Roman Bronze Herm Statue dating from the 1st to 4th Century A.D. A herm was a statue consisting of a a head atop a square pillar, originally an artifact to honor the god Herm...
Category

15th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Bronze

Antique Terracotta Recumbent Lions, Continental, Late 19th/Early 20th Century
Located in Chatham, ON
Antique pair of Neoclassical style terracotta recumbent lions - unsigned - Continental - late 19th/early 20th century. The over-all condition of this pair of pre-owned antique ite...
Category

Early 20th Century European Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Terracotta

Large Italian Terra Cotta Grand Tour Amphora c 1820
Located in Kastrup, DK
Rare large classicist 'Grand Tour' amphora in original untouched condition. Made of terracotta with original polychrome Etruscan paintings on white chalk undercoat. On a square woode...
Category

Early 19th Century Italian Antique Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Terracotta, Wood

Rose Sculpture Vase 13 Roses Hand Carved Italy Pink Onyx Block Limited Edition
Located in Ancona, Marche
"Roma Imperiale" is not just a vase or rather a sculpture, imagine it as a memory, the memory of a nobility now dissolved, a suspended memory, forgotten in a secret garden, of those ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Onyx, Marble

Vintage mid century David bust sculpture A Santini made in Italy
Located in Birmingham, AL
Vintage David Bust Replica of Famous Statue David - Premium Sculpted Resin of Marble with White Marble Finish Hand Painted and patinated, made in Italy. Condition: It is in very go...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Alabaster

Ancient Classical Style Antique Iridescent Glass Bottle
Located in New York, NY
Antique classical style glass bottle on lucite stand Lucite base holder Measures. 3.4" x 4.2" x 1.8"L.
Category

Mid-18th Century Unknown Antique Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Blown Glass

Flying Mercury, After Giambologna, Bronze Lamp, 19th Century
By Giambologna
Located in MARSEILLE, FR
Bronze sculpture "Flying Mercury", after Giambologna, mounted as a lamp, on a green marble column base decorated with a bronze frieze, with allegories of the Arts. Wear and tear ...
Category

19th Century European Antique Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Marble, Bronze

19th Century Bronze of the Borghese Gladiator
Located in London, GB
Nineteenth century bronze of the Borghese Gladiator, Italian or French, mounted on a richly figured Convent Sienna marble base.
Category

19th Century Italian Antique Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Siena Marble, Bronze

19th c. French Bronze Dancing Faun by Lequesne Eugène-Louis
Located in Wichita, KS
A 19th c. French bronze figure of a dancing faun by Eugène-Louis Lequesne. Hand-signed at the base Lequesne (1815-1887). Likely cast by the Gautieur foundry. Found in Paris. Dime...
Category

19th Century French Antique Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Bronze

Large Antique Marble Bust of Apollo of Belvedere, 19th Century
Located in Rochester, NY
Antique bust of Apollo of Belvedere. Finely carved carrara marble. Mid-19th century. Italian. Presented by Joseph Dasta Antiques # nude male greek roman mercury statue...
Category

19th Century Italian Antique Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Stone, Marble, Carrara Marble

Polychrome Resin Bust of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius 1950s
Located in Milano, MI
Polychrome resin bust depicting the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, made in the 1950s Ø cm 17 Ø cm 9 h cm 26
Category

1950s Italian Vintage Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Resin

Roman torso in stone
Located in S-HERTOGENBOSCH, NL
Muscular torso in stoneware, after the classical greek and Roman sculptures. with a good patina. Signed but not readable (see last picture). Probably circa 1930.
Category

1930s Italian Vintage Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Stoneware

Beautiful Antique Bust of a Warrior in the Roman Style, 20th Century.
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Beautiful antique bust of a warrior in the Roman style, 20th century. Antique-style nude male, bust in composite material, 20th century.     h: 82cm , w: 72cm, d: 46,5cm
Category

20th Century European Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Composition

Italian Roman Sculpture of the David
Located in New York, NY
A classic Italian Roman statue of the 'David' on a black marble base by sculptor G. Ruggeri, Italy, circa mid-20th century, Italy. White resin statue is on a black marble base with t...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Marble

Unglazed Roman Style Clay Pot with Handles, Decorative Pots
Located in Miami, FL
This charming clay pot is an excellent representation of Roman pottery, echoing the craftsmanship and aesthetic of ancient times. With its classic form and earthy clay composition, i...
Category

Early 20th Century Italian Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Clay, Earthenware

19th Century Italian Terracotta Bust of a Classical Male
Located in Houston, TX
19th century Italian terracotta bust of a classical male. This monumental antique Italian terracotta bust sculpture of a classical Roman male is a well executed statement piece and...
Category

19th Century Italian Antique Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Terracotta

Antique Italian Marble Bust of Augustus Caesar
Located in Newark, England
Grey Marble Socle From our Sculpture collection, we are delighted to offer this exceptional Antique Italian Marble Bust Augustus Caesar. The bust...
Category

Early 19th Century Italian Antique Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Marble, Carrara Marble

Late 19th Century Bronze Sculpture - Hermes - France
Located in Casteren, Noord-Brabant
Elegant and finely cast bronze sculpture of Hermes, France circa 1890. Hermes, the messenger of the gods in classical mythology, is a symbol of communication, travel, intelligence, a...
Category

1880s French Antique Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Bronze

Pair of Early 20th Century Bronze Roman-Style Urns
Located in Chicago, IL
A phenomenal pair of early 20th century French cast bronze Roman-style urns with volute handles decorated with goose heads, and a frieze in low-relief depic...
Category

Early 20th Century French Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Bronze

Bust Octavian Augustus in white Carrara marble -made in Italy
Located in Tarquinia, IT
Sculpture, emperor bust, Octavian bust, Octavian Augustus bust, ancient Roman bust, Roman art, classical art, Greek art, bust, white Carrara marble, classical sculpture, Marcus Aurel...
Category

1990s Italian Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Marble

Elegant base in porfido Serpentino Antico
Located in Bruxelles, BE
Elegant fragment in porfido Serpentino Antico 19,5 x 18 x 12 cm This beautiful fragment can be used as a base made of rare marble, ideal for displaying ancient or modern objects and...
Category

15th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Marble

17th Century Italian Carrara Marble Bust of a Classical Roman
Located in Houston, TX
17th century Italian carrara marble bust of a Classical Roman. Finely carved Classical Roman Carrara marble bust sculpture from the 17th ce...
Category

17th Century Italian Antique Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Marble

Late 20th Century Vintage Horse Statue
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
This bronze horse head sculpture features a strong, elongated form with expressive detailing in the mane and muzzle. The finish is aged with hints of patina, lending it a sense of ti...
Category

Late 20th Century American Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Bronze

Iridescent glass vase pulegoso scavo Murano glass. . Cyanide
Located in Lugo, IT
Iridescent glass vase pulegoso scavo Murano glass. Good condition. Thank you
Category

1920s Italian Vintage Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Murano Glass

Antique Roman Marble Head of a Goddess, Possibly Venus, 1st-3rd Century AD
Located in Doha, QA
A captivating Roman marble head of a Goddess, possibly Venus, dating from the 1st–3rd century AD, exquisitely carved and presented on a bespoke marble pedestal styled as a classical ...
Category

15th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Marble

Pair of 19th Century French Cast Iron Medici Urns with Original Patina
Located in Dallas, TX
Decorate a patio, garden, or sunroom with this elegant pair of antique urns. Crafted in France circa 1850, each classical vase stands on a square base supporting a baluster-shaped pe...
Category

Mid-19th Century French Antique Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Iron

Giambologna "Mercury" Patinated Bronze
By Giambologna
Located in Astoria, NY
After Giambologna (Jean de Boulogne, Italian, 1529-1608) "Mercury" Patinated Bronze Sculpture, the god lacking his caduceus, on a later simulated marble base. 27" H x 8" W x 14" D.
Category

19th Century French Antique Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Bronze

Antique life size Torso of Venus Marble Sculpture After the Ancient
Located in New York, NY
Large antique continental marble statue depicting the torso of Venus, after the ancient Roman work, the Venus de Milo, measuring 33 inches tall. Unsigned.
Category

19th Century Antique Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Marble

Antique Handcrafted Bronze Table Centerpiece Bowl by F. Levillain Barbedienne
Located in Lisse, NL
Stunning French bronze tazza with wine & Bacchus theme, by Ferdinand LEVILLAIN (1837-1905). Every time we find an antique of this extraordinary quality and beauty we wonder what p...
Category

19th Century French Antique Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Bronze

Pair of Bronze Statues Mercury and Fortuna
By Giambologna
Located in London, GB
A Pair of bronze statues Mercury and Fortuna, French c.1900, on Sienna marble bases. Signed Sobre Dimensions: 46cm (18") High, 12cm (4¾") Wide, 20cm (7¾") Deep, Hermes / Mercury hei...
Category

Early 20th Century European Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Siena Marble, Bronze

French Art Deco Bronze Figure
Located in Houston, TX
A 1930s French Art Deco bronze Roman warrior figure with spear and shield on black marble base.
Category

Early 20th Century French Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Large Vintage Italian Capodimonte Porcelain Box
Located in Houston, TX
Large vintage Italian Capodimonte Porcelain box. Stunning large vintage Italian Capodimonte porcelain box. This lovely...
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

Alfa Romeo Classic Car Radiator Desk Clock, Jaeger, 1920´s. Automobilia
Located in Buenos Aires, Olivos
Very nice Jaeger 8 days table clock. This is a Classic car clock, circa 1920s. It is mounted over a Classic Alfa Romeo small radiator. Fantastic piece of A...
Category

1920s Swiss Vintage Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Brass, Enamel

Terra Cotta “Wrestlers” after 3rd Century BCE Greek Sculpture
Located in Kent, CT
Grand scale terra cotta after the Roman marble Wrestlers sculpture at The Uffizi. Wrestlers (also known as The Two Wrestlers, The Uffizi Wrestlers, or The Pancrastinae) is after the...
Category

19th Century Antique Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Terracotta

Nineteenth Century Italian Bronze of Seated Hermes
Located in London, GB
Nineteenth century Italian bronze model of Seated Hermes, stamped 'GIORGIO SOMMER FOUNDRY, NAPLES', set on marble plinth base. Dimensions: 44cm (17¼") High, 42cm (16½") Wide, Base 2...
Category

19th Century Italian Antique Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Marble, Bronze

French Plaster Male Torso
Located in Houston, TX
French Plaster Male Torso. Offered is a handsome large scale plaster torso sculpture of a classical male from France. This well executed academic plaster sculpture has a commanding p...
Category

1950s French Vintage Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Plaster

Italian Majolica ceramic Bust of a Man - Roman Empire Style
Located in Casteren, Noord-Brabant
A beautiful white ceramic glazed bust of a man. Depicting a man from the Roman Empire. Estimated origin and date: France, circe 1910-1920. Dimensions: 39 (h) x 41 (w) x 26 (d) cm....
Category

1910s Italian Vintage Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic

Antique Handcrafted Bronze Brass Table Centerpiece / Fruit Bowl w Goat Sculpt.
Located in Lisse, NL
Exceptional 19th Century bronze and brass Tazza / Bowl with sculptural goats, great quality patina. Every now and then, a piece emerges that truly captures the soul of 19th-century ...
Category

Late 19th Century European Antique Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Bronze, Brass

Lyons by Antoine Durenne Was a French Cast Iron "Offer Free Shipping in Florida"
Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C
They are in Miami. We offer free shipping in Florida. They were exhibited at Palm beach "American International Fine Art Fair (AIFAF)" In the photos you can see a pair of lions of...
Category

1880s French Antique Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Iron

Italian Ornate Mantel Clock with Two Figural Cherub Candelabras - Garniture Set
Located in Chicago, IL
Vintage Italian Roman Style Ornate Mantel Clock with Two Figural Cherub Candelabras - Garniture Set The Vintage Italian Roman Style Ornate Mantel ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Brass

Italian Marble Bust of Venus Italica on Frosted Lucite Base
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
An exquisite marble bust from the early 19th Century portraying a female figure. A true testament to the craftsmanship of after Antonio Canova of Italy. This piece stands atop a 2 ti...
Category

Early 20th Century Italian Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Marble

foot sculpture with fine ancient Roman footwear - made in Italy
Located in Tarquinia, IT
carved foot, Roman footwear, marble foot, ancient Roman foot, Roman foot sculpture, Foot sculpture with footwear in ancient Rome style. Sculpture valuable and highly original Materi...
Category

Early 2000s Italian Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Marble

A Roman Marble Sculpture of Hercules, Circa 1st / 2nd Century AD Ex Sotheby s
Located in ARMADALE, VIC
A Roman Marble Sculpture of Hercules, Circa 1st / 2nd Century AD The sculpture is nude except for the draped Nemean lion skin. Provenance: Sotheby's London, December 14, 1981, lot ...
Category

15th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Marble

19th Century English Diminutive Parian Bust of Apollo Belvedere
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
19th century English diminutive Parian bust of apollo Belvedere, a well executed example, raised on a 3-inch diameter solace base. Unmarked.
Category

Late 19th Century English Antique Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic

Bust of Mark Anthony
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Well-figured decorative composition/resin bust of Roman Emperor.
Category

Late 20th Century British Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Resin

Wedgwood First Edition Portland Vase
Located in New Orleans, LA
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...
Category

18th Century English Antique Classical Roman Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

Classical Roman decorative objects for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Classical Roman decorative objects for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage decorative objects created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects, building and garden elements, serveware, ceramics, silver and glass and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with stone, metal and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Classical Roman decorative objects made in a specific country, there are Europe, Italy, and France pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original decorative objects, popular names associated with this style include Europa Antiques, LAGU, F. Barbedienne Foundry, and Bottega Vignoli. 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 decorative objects differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $60 and tops out at $150,000 while the average work can sell for $2,800.

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