Wedgwood | Blue Jasperware | Rectangular Lidded Box | Made in England | 20th Century

Blue and white, neoclassical and English — Josiah Wedgwood resolved what civilisation should look like on a shelf, and the answer has required little revision.

Jasperware remains among the most recognisable contributions of Wedgwood to European ceramics. Developed in the 1770s, the material is a fine, unglazed stoneware body coloured throughout and finished with applied white relief ornament. The effect — white classical figures set against a matte coloured ground — draws directly on antique cameos and friezes, many associated with designers such as John Flaxman and William Hackwood.

This rectangular lidded box is produced in the pale blue most closely associated with Jasperware. The matte ground provides a restrained backdrop for crisp white sprigged reliefs. The lid centres a neoclassical scene of two draped female figures flanking a floral column, enclosed within a rectangular cartouche and bordered by a continuous garland with floral corner motifs.

The sides are articulated with alternating anthemion devices and figural panels on all four faces, each panel depicting classical subjects in low relief. The interior remains undecorated in solid blue. The lid aligns cleanly and sits securely. The underside bears the impressed “WEDGWOOD / MADE IN ENGLAND” mark, with additional characters partially indistinct.

Condition is excellent. No chips, cracks, or restoration. Relief work remains sharp and well preserved.

Key details

• Maker: Wedgwood, England
• Type: Jasperware rectangular lidded box
• Ground colour: Pale blue (“Wedgwood blue”)
• Decoration: White sprigged neoclassical relief; garland border; anthemion and panel sides
• Period: 20th century
• Backstamp: Impressed “WEDGWOOD / MADE IN ENGLAND”
• Dimensions: H 3 cm × L 9.2 cm × W 4.7 cm
• Weight: 113 g
• Condition: Excellent

Collector Appeal

• Classic mid-range Wedgwood form with strong decorative clarity
• Crisp, well-preserved reliefs — key to value retention in Jasperware
• Versatile display piece bridging traditional and contemporary interiors
• Accessible entry point into neoclassical decorative ceramics
• Reliable, recognisable maker with consistent resale demand

The value of Jasperware has never resided entirely in the object — it resides partly in the civilisation it chose to remember.