Jardinière

At a glance

• Family: Planters, Pots & Urns
• Periods most often found: Most date from 1850 to 1930.
• Typical price: about $300; range $60 to $2,000 and more for exceptional pieces
• What drives value: Material, stand

What it is

The jardinière is a decorative container for indoor plants, often raised on a matching pedestal. It became fashionable in the 19th century, when ferns, palms and orchids filled Victorian and Napoleon III salons and winter gardens. Majolica jardinières with leaves and birds from Minton, Choisy-le-Roi and Sarreguemines, faience and porcelain jardinières from Gien and Limoges, brass and copper jardinières with lion-head handles, tole jardinières painted with flowers and oval wooden jardinières on legs (for whole arrangements) are typical.

How to identify and date it

Check that the pedestal belongs to the bowl: color, glaze, decoration and fit should match, and the joint should not be glued. Look for marks under the base; chips at the rim, glaze flaking, hairline cracks and restorations are common. Drainage holes may have been drilled later. On brass and copper jardinières, check for dents, splits and replaced handles; on tole, for rust under the paint.

Periods and styles

Most date from 1850 to 1930.

How much is it worth?

On the US retail market, most jardinière examples ask around $300. Simple or worn pieces start near $60, while documented, signed or exceptional examples can pass $2,000. The main value drivers are: material, stand. These are indicative ranges, not an appraisal; see our price guide for French antiques for the method.

Before you buy

• Confirm the pedestal
• Read marks
• Check rims and glaze
• Look for later drilling

Living with it

Plant a jardinière with a fern or an orchid and place it in a bright window or on a console in the entry.