Ceramic centrepieces, consoles and punch bowls

At the turn-of-the-century, no fashionable Victorian dinner table would have been without a decorative centrepiece. These included fine silverware and glass displays, which sometimes incorporated figurines, bowls and candle holders or even porcelain figurative sculptures and vases with flowers. As the elaborate dinner rituals became more simplified, the centrepiece, at least on a domestic level, gradually disappeared. Sometimes they reappeared for special occasions, but more often then not, the monumental pieces were there to serve as a functional item such as a punch bowl or fruit bowl. The mid-century ceramic centrepieces maintained the monumental dimensions with the typical modernist/sculptural flair, but still remained generally functional. Now they appear more on a side board , or with minimalist décor trends, they get banished altogether.

Some great ceramic designs have manifested from the creation of a centrepiece, as the larger size has provided more scope to work with.

Art Nouveau centrepiece

( South Perth Antiques and Collectables )

Mid-Century Modern Biomorphic bowl - Sheldon Gants -1950′s

( Modernaire – etsy )

Canyon Infinity Bowl - Paul Willsea glass centrepiece

Phillip Maberry and Scott Walker - Maloney Fine Art, LA

Mid-Century Embossed Oval Bowl - Maurice of California

Decorated with highly glazed shades of green on the inside and a brushed gold on the outside.

measures 19 1/2″ long and 8 1/2″ wide

Art Nouveau Centerpiece with three red owls

by Ipsen ceramic works in Denmark, 1920′s

( Renaissance Man – 1stdibs )

Mid-Century hand decorated ceramic bowl by Danish artist Mette Doller on a form by Erik Ivarsson for the Swedish company Andersson & Johansson

Edwin Scheier Large bowl

( Rago Modern Auctions )

Spirit Tripod Bowl – Potter’s Mark

16 inches in length

Swedish Art Deco bowl - glazed ceramic footed bowl – Upsala Ekeby

( 1stdibs )

Stoneware blooms in organic waves of hand-textured blue glaze.

Crate and Barrel

Monumental Polia Pillin Ceramic Punch Bowl

Height is 10 5/8 inches and the width is 15 3/4 inches

Large Amphora compote

Large Amphora vase

Swedish art deco hand decorated bowl with lustre glaze by Josef Ekberg for Gustavsberg.

1930

( B4 20th century design – 1stdibs )

Ceramic sculptural centrepiece bowl dating from the late 19th, early 20th century with three elephants.

Axel Salto Large Centrepiece – Denmark

Centerpiece Persian turquoise glazed bowl and gold glazed winged lion base by Leon Volkma for Durant Kilns

Ceramic boat bowl rainbow

( Aura Decor Designs )

Ceramic Hand Painted Guerro Bowl – Mexico

CHEIER Charger depicting a fertility scene in dark brown and beige matte glaze

Pottery charger – Eric Olson for Common Ground

Coppa – Fausto Melotti

1951

Modernist centrepiece - Jean Derval (1925-2010.)

France

30cm diameter

George Jones Majolica centrepiece bowl which features Neptune holding a shell above his head.

( madelenaantiques.com )

Free Form Vessel - Cristina Salusti

1stdibs

French 1940′s Elephant Centerpiece by Cazaux

Oscar Rodolfo Mendoza – Fruit Of The Maya Decorative Bowl Centerpiece

( Novica )

Monumental Hand Built Ruth Duckworth Ceramic Footed Bowl

Large bowl by Max Idlas -Vallauris

42 inch diameter

( Vallauris.org )

Pierrefonds Stoneware Dish with a beautiful crystalline blue glaze.

1928

Large Majolica centre bowl

Mid-century centrepiece – California Originals

( cherryRevolver – etsy )

Mid-Century Console Bowl

Massive Guido Gambone Ceramic bowl

Big Robert Kingsmill charger

Jazz Bowl - Viktor Schreckengost for Cowan Pottery, 1930

The Jazz Bowl is considered one of the earliest examples of the Art Deco style made in America. It was produced by Cowan Pottery as a large punch bowl for a New York client who turned out to be Eleanor Roosevelt.

To achieve the desired effect, Viktor Schreckengost developed a novel technique. First he covered the bowl with black engobe—watery clay mixed with glaze. He then scratched out the design, in a pattern of black and white; fired it; then covered the whole bowl with a glaze of “Egyptian Blue”—a sort of radiant turquoise, similar to that of some beads found in Tutankhamen’s tomb. He then fired it again. The result was richly decorative, since the irregular scratching of the design created a kind of glow, almost like stained glass. And the Egyptian Blue evoked a feeling he was trying to capture—his recollection of the strange blue light of New York at night.