Wedgwood Matte Black Jasperware Candlesticks with White Classical Reliefs, 1965

  

Wedgwood Matte Black Jasperware Candlesticks with White Classical Reliefs, 1965. A fine pair of Wedgwood matte black jasperware candlesticks, made in England circa 1965.

Each is decorated with high-contrast white bas-reliefs set against a deep, velvety black ground. The scenes depict dynamic mythological and classical subjects inspired by Greco-Roman antiquity, including figures, attendants, sacrificial rituals and pastoral motifs derived from antique sculpture. The decoration differs on each candlestick, creating a varied sequence of neoclassical imagery. Oak leaf garlands, acorns and stylised landscape elements frame the scenes, producing the striking cameo-like effect for which Wedgwood is celebrated. Josiah Wedgwood's Black Basalt has long been regarded as one of the factory's most prestigious ceramic bodies. Inspired by ancient Etruscan and Greco-Roman wares, its dense, velvety surface provides the ideal background for applied white ornament. The dramatic contrast between the black body and the crisp white reliefs recalls antique cameos and carved gems, creating one of the most recognisable expressions of the neoclassical movement in English ceramics.

Among collectors, black basalt examples are particularly sought after and are often considered more desirable than the standard blue jasperware wares for which Wedgwood is best known. The undersides bear impressed WEDGWOOD MADE IN ENGLAND marks together with the impressed number 65, consistent with a production date of 1965. Additional impressed marks are factory or workshop control marks. Dimensions: Height 12.5 cm.

Please study the accompanying photographs carefully as they form an integral part of this description. If you have any questions, we will be happy to answer them.