Firing Up Our Knowledge in the Most Popular Vintage Pottery Eras

If you’re searching for ways to breathe life into your home, don’t underestimate the power of a well-placed antique vase! Pottery has been a popular art form for thousands of years. Explore the different eras, learn about the most famous companies, and find inspiration on how to incorporate antique vases into your home décor today.

What is the Difference Between Antique and Vintage Pottery?

Though the definition of “vintage” can be quite flexible depending on the vendor you’re talking to, vintage pottery must be between 20 and 99 years old. If it’s 100 years or older, the antique ceramic design is considered antique. In general, the older an antique vase, the more collectible it becomes.

Understand the 3 Main Types of Antique Ceramics

When we talk about antique ceramics, it’s important to determine what material a piece is made of in order to appropriately age and value a design. In general, an antique vase is formed from one of three options.

What are the Main Types of Antique Ceramics?

1. Earthenware: the oldest and most common type of vintage pottery, made from naturally formed clays and often covered in protective glazes

2. Stoneware: an age-old material found in utilitarian antique ceramics featuring a less porous, more durable composition and a waterproof surface

3. Porcelain: most notably found in vintage pottery from the Tang Dynasty and across Europe, this material is known for its delicate, translucent appearance and fine grain

What is Bone China?

As you shop for antique ceramics, you may see a fourth option on the shelves—bone China. This extra-durable pottery material is made when bone ash, derived from animals, is mixed with porcelain clay. When fired, it results in a milky-white hue that’s fine enough for light to pass through the surface, yet strong enough to be considered chip-resistant.

What Makes Vintage Pottery Valuable?

When it comes to attributing value to a piece of vintage pottery, the final price is defined by many different factors. If an antique ceramic design hits all of these qualifications, then you’ve struck gold.

Qualifications of Valuable Vintage Pottery

• Condition: the piece has little to no chips, cracks, or discoloration

• Rarity: the design was produced in limited quantities or made in a desirable historical era, rather than being mass-produced

• Authenticity: the antique vase is proven to be genuine, and not a replica

• Aesthetics: the vintage pottery has a sought-after shape, glaze, or decorative design

• Craftsmanship: the piece shows significant skill in throwing, carving, firing, and glazing

How to Start Your Own Collection of Antique Vases?

When it comes time to build your own collection of antique vases, you have a very important decision to make. Do you want to stick to one era and grow a cohesive set of antique ceramics you can pass to your children one day? Or would you prefer to mix and match across the board and enjoy a more eclectic, maximalist approach? Before you make your choice, we recommend researching each design era to find a style you love.

What are the Different Eras of Antique and Vintage Pottery Worth Collecting?

The oldest antique vases are either sitting on display in museums and personal collections or deep within the earth waiting to be discovered. But don’t worry—while those ancient ceramics are nearly impossible to own, there are plenty of pieces from the last few hundred years to be found at your local Melbourne antique mall, like:  

Chinese Blue and White Antique Ceramics (1271-1912)

Even though artisans in the Yuan Dynasty in the 13th century designed them, only a small portion of the iconic and intricate blue and white antique vases collected around the world originate from China. When makers got their hands on blue pigment imported from Persia, it led to a widespread boom in blue and white pottery production.

This style remained a popular choice for roughly the next 500 years. If you’re lucky enough to find an authentic antique ceramic from this time at a Highland antique mall, you can trust that it's worth every penny.

European Blue and White Antique Vases (1500s-1800s)

Blue and white ceramics spread from China to Europe through the Silk Road in the 16th century, inspiring Portuguese, Dutch, and French potters to imitate and commandeer the style. If you’re unsure whether or not an antique vase was made in Europe or China, and can’t find a maker’s mark, take a look at the pattern—European artisans incorporated their own local landscapes and Western iconography into traditional Chinese designs.

Art Nouveau Vintage Pottery (1890-1914)

Inspired by the beauty of nature, many antique vases from the Art Nouveau era feature flowing lines, nature-based motifs, and iridescent glazes. The artisans of the time aimed to blend functionality with aesthetics and were heavily influenced by Japanese prints.

Notable Art Nouveau Antique Vase Makers:

• Lachenal Pottery

• Baron Potteries

• Amphora

Art Deco Antique Vases (1919-1939)

The key to spotting antiques made in the Art Deco era is looking out for bold, vibrant colors, geometric shapes, and more streamlined forms. Crafted after WWII, these antique ceramics were designed to be more affordable without sacrificing the modern style of the time. Between perfectly symmetrical, mass-produced antique vases and more abstract, hand-painted designs, there’s a style for everyone.

Important Names in the Art Deco Pottery Era:

• Gouda Pottery

• T.G. Green & Co.

• Newport Pottery (specifically the Bizarre-ware line)

American Arts & Crafts Era Antique Vases (1870s-1920s)

The Arts & Crafts movement gave us more than timeless, durable furniture. The antique ceramicists of the time sought to create vases that were equally usable and beautiful, prioritizing handcrafted techniques over mass production. Each glaze job, sculpted detail, and patterning was labored over, resulting in unique and not-necessarily uniform pieces.

Key Pottery Makers from the Arts & Crafts Movement:

• Rookwood Pottery

• Van Briggle Pottery

• Grueby Faience Company

Mid-Century Modern Vintage Pottery (1940s-1970s)

Mid-century modern designs remain one of the most popular choices for just about any home décor item—especially when it comes to vintage pottery! If you come across a vase with a muted color palette, simple design, and geometric shapes at an Indiana vendor mall, there’s a good chance it’s from the MCM era.

Pottery Brands from the Mid-Century Modern Era:

• Fiestaware

• Tiffany & Co.

• Bitossi

Whether you’re looking for a way to add dimension to your gallery wall or intend to display your vintage finds on your hutch, you’re in luck—at antique malls, there are plenty of antique ceramics to choose from! Swing by your nearest America’s Antique Mall to start searching today.