For Lewis Morris, seeking out and collecting rare, vintage pieces is a way of life. As a second-generation antiques dealer and co-owner of Morris Antiques in Keo, he has spent his life searching both near and far for one-of-a-kind pieces of furniture, glassware and other collectibles. However, there’s one collection that immediately caught his eye and has managed to hold his attention for more than 30 years—Wedgwood’s Jasperware.
These unglazed stoneware pieces were originally created by Josiah Wedgwood of England and were first available publicly in 1775. When Wedgwood began his work the scenes depicted were mainly from Greek mythology. However, as time passed the designs evolved to include everyone from George Washington to Princess Diana. The iconic white reliefs appear on a variety of tabletop and service pieces in a range of colors including light blue, dark blue, yellow, green, crimson, lilac (which often has more of a rosy pink appearance) and even black. While numerous options were produced, the dark blue background quickly became the most popular and is therefore the most common and easiest to find.
Like many collectors, Morris found his first piece while traveling. “My family and I would occasionally go on buying trips in England and Western Europe for our shop. In the early 1980s we were there and I saw my first piece of old, original Wedgwood. It immediately drew my eye and since then I have been picking up pieces whenever I get the opportunity,” says Morris. That first piece was a dark blue biscuit jar, or as we call them in America—cookie jars. While this piece is fairly common, it led to a passion for Jasperware and a curiosity to seek out some of the pattern’s more unusual finds.
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