It began with a Grecian bowl.
In 1968, a young Eurasian man named Cedric Pereira, then working at a bank in Collyer Quay, stepped into the Robinsons department store at nearby Raffles Place. He had just received his bonus and was thinking about a ceramic ornament he had admired at his sister’s home — an elegant piece adorned with white reliefs of Grecian figures, which she told him came from Robinsons.
“It was a ceramic bowl in sage green that caught my eye. I plucked up my courage, parted with S$80 (US$62), which was more than a third of my monthly pay, and carried my first Wedgwood home,” Pereira recounted.
More than five decades later, that very bowl still sits proudly by the entrance of his home. Pereira, now in his 70s, is semi-retired and works part-time at a museum store. What began as an impulsive purchase has since grown into one of Singapore’s largest private Wedgwood collections.
The very first piece of Grecian bowl that Pereira bought. (Photo: CNA/Kelvin Chia)
“From that one bowl, my passion just grew,” he continued. “I started collecting Mother’s Day plates, Christmas editions, Valentine’s Day editions, or limited-edition ones with runs of 500 pieces. I would purchase items to mark occasions, like my first work trip to Hong Kong. Then I moved on to museum-grade pieces. Over time, it became a collection. Today, I think I have about 300 pieces, though many are boxed up.”
Looking around his living room, it’s hard to imagine that many are in storage — his home is an homage to his collections. His favourite pieces are grouped by theme: displayed in glass cabinets, arranged on consoles, across the piano top, and even hung on the walls.
Josiah Wedgwood, often called “the father of English potters,” founded the brand in the mid-18th century. His innovations in design and technique quickly brought him international acclaim, and soon after, Queen Charlotte, wife of King George III, commissioned an extensive tea and dinner service. Wedgwood was appointed potter to Her Majesty soon after.
His creations soon graced the palaces and banqueting halls of Europe’s elite — from the holiday palace of Russia’s Empress Catherine the Great, who commissioned the famed Frog Service of over 900 pieces, to royal households across Europe. Even today, Wedgwood remains a fixture on state tables.
Pereira’s collection reflects a legacy of British craftsmanship, personal heritage, and enduring passion.(Photo: CNA/Kelvin Chia)
Of all Wedgwood’s creations, jasperware became — and remains — the most avidly collected. Developed in the 1770s, jasper is an unglazed stoneware known for its smooth matte finish, delicate neoclassical reliefs, and soft hues. Its most iconic colour, light Wedgwood Blue, endures as a brand signature.
Over the next quarter of a century, Pereira travelled repeatedly to the UK, eventually buying a second home there and making frequent visits to the Wedgwood factory (now the World of Wedgwood) in Staffordshire.
“I witnessed the intricate production stages: the moulding, firing and colouring. Seeing the craftsmanship gave me new appreciation for each creation.” As a key customer, he also met the late Lord Piers Wedgwood, fifth-generation grandson of the founder, several times in Singapore in the late 1980s. “He was a very amiable person.”
Cedric Pereira (right) and the late Lord Piers Wedgwood, fifth-generation grandson of the founder of Wedgwood. (Photo: CNA/Kelvin Chia)
Among his 300 pieces, several stand out. Jasperware dominates his cabinets — the familiar blues, sage greens, and even rare pink editions. Yet it’s not all pastels. Pereira also sought out the drama of black basalt and gold in the Egyptian Revival jasper series, inspired by Britain’s 19th-century fascination with ancient Egypt. Vases and plaques gleam with gilded hieroglyphic motifs, flanked by a pair of canopic jars created to mark the 75th anniversary of Tutankhamun’s tomb discovery. “The canopic jars were especially hard to find but I was lucky to get edition number three in a series of 200,” he admitted.
Pereira also sought out the drama of black basalt and gold. This black basalt fishtail ewer is based on a 17th-century design by Jacques Stella, a celebrated French painter. (Photo: CNA/Kelvin Chia)
A display of Egyptian Revival–inspired jasperware and gilded ceramics, featuring intricate hieroglyphic motifs and pharaonic figures. (Photo: CNA/Kelvin Chia)
Nearby, a shelf is devoted to the British royal family: coronation and jubilee editions for Queen Elizabeth II, tributes to the Queen Mother, and commemoratives for the wedding of William and Kate. On the walls, black basalt plaques depict British landmarks such as St Paul’s Cathedral and the Palace of Westminster, their neoclassical silhouettes raised in quiet relief against matte black.
Some of his most prized pieces mirror those displayed in the world’s great museums — chief among them, the Portland Vase. He lifted out his cobalt-blue jasper version with quiet pride. Unlike the opaque whites and pale blues of newer jasperware, this one is alive with contrast: diaphanous white figures floating against deep blue, emulating the transparency of glass. “When I held it for the first time, the beauty of the reliefs on the vase and even on the undercarriage of the base kept me truly spellbound,” he recalled.
The Portland Vase is Wedgwood’s most celebrated achievement. (Photo: CNA/Kelvin Chia)
The Portland Vase, a big get for a collector, remains Wedgwood’s most celebrated achievement. Founder Josiah Wedgwood devoted five years and thousands of experiments to recreating the ancient Roman Barberini Vase, made in the early first century BC. When he succeeded in 1790, it was more than a perfect replica — it was proof that ceramics could rival, even surpass, the finest achievements of glassmaking.
Its unclothed classical figures reflect the 18th-century view of nudity as divinity and perfection. Pereira gestured to them and said: “Notice the difference? These are marked with naked figures. Later, during Queen Victoria’s reign, modesty dictated that they had to be clothed.” Victorian sensibilities demanded modesty and thus, Wedgwood creations draped their once-naked mythological characters in flowing garments. Pereira shares this cultural shift with fascination.
Other rare pieces hold equal weight: the Apollo Vase, a pale-blue and white jasper design created in 1930 by John Goodwin to mark the 200th anniversary of Josiah Wedgwood’s birth. Only 50 were produced. “I was overjoyed to find one on eBay in 2004. To own such a Bicentenary piece felt extraordinary — it’s truly a magnificent piece of art,” he said.
The Apollo Vase was created in 1930 by John Goodwin to mark the 200th anniversary of Josiah Wedgwood’s birth. (Photo: CNA/Kelvin Chia)
Equally striking is a pair of jasper ewers in the same pale-blue tones, known as Sacred to Bacchus and Neptune. Designed by John Flaxman, one of Wedgwood’s best-known artists, the ewers each tell a different story — the wine jug shows vines and satyrs celebrating Bacchus, the god of wine, while the water jug features dolphins, tridents and sea creatures linked to Neptune, god of the sea. “I bought them in 1995. They’ve been with me for 30 years now.” For Pereira, they remain some of the most eye-catching items in the collection.
And then there is the rarer Michelangelo Bowl, with a crisp white profile portrait against jasper blue. Wedgwood made only a small number of these to celebrate Renaissance masters, and they are seldom seen today.
The Michelangelo Bowl. (Photo: CNA/Kelvin Chia)
Pereira’s voice softened as he showed a portrait medallion of Queen Elizabeth II. “The most precious piece to me is this Queen portrait medallion issued in a limited edition. This is labelled number one of a run of 500,” he said, turning it over to reveal the inscription. It was produced to celebrate her 60th birthday in 1986.
Like most serious collectors, Pereira keeps a meticulous record, logging each acquisition in a diary. But beyond the orderliness lies quiet pleasure. “Sometimes in the evenings I’ll sit with a drink in hand and just look at the collection. It gives me a sense of calm and satisfaction. Every piece has a story, and I like reliving them.”
Among those stories are the trophies of any collector: first editions. He owns at least five Wedgwood pieces labelled No. 1 in their limited runs, including a black basalt vase from the Heritage Collection. Each holds a place of pride.
“For me, symbolism matters as much as rarity,” he shared. “I like numbers that add up to eight. My birthday is on the eighth, so when I could, I chose editions numbered one, eight, seventeen, or twenty-six… always something that came back to eight.”
This is Pereira's most treasured piece in his collection, the Queen Elizabeth portrait medallion. (Photo: CNA/Kelvin Chia)
Over the years, his passion extended beyond Wedgwood to include other European makers — Herend Porcelain, Crown Derby, Waterford Crystal, Lladró, and Swarovski. Still, it was always Wedgwood that lay at the heart of his collecting journey.
Part of Pereira’s attachment to Wedgwood stems from heritage. Raised in a Eurasian family steeped in British traditions, he grew up with gatherings that revolved around teatime and elaborate meals served on a dinner service — a complete set of matching plates, bowls, and serving dishes brought out only on important occasions.
“Special meals from my childhood centred around a dinner service set that my grandmother had, he recalled. “While it wasn’t Wedgwood, it was gifted to her as a token of appreciation for hosting a badminton tournament on her premises. It was such a precious gift to her, and she used it only for Christmas or Easter. She and I were close; we spent a lot of time together. She always gave the best advice. After she passed away, I eventually inherited the set, along with all the memories that came with it.”
Pereira’s Wedgwood dinner service in Gold Columbia, a fine bone china pattern accented with gilt detailing, which he uses for New Year’s Day celebrations. (Photo: CNA/Kelvin Chia)
As he spoke, he reminisced fondly about her meals. “She made a dessert called blancmange, especially at Christmas, Easter and birthdays. It was in pink with rose syrup, or chocolate, and the grandchildren always made a dash for it,” he said with a smile.
Today, Pereira owns nine full dinner services, five of them Wedgwood. The tradition continues: each set is reserved for special occasions, with one kept aside specifically for Christmas and another brought out for New Year’s Day.
Like most serious collectors, Pereira keeps a meticulous record, logging each acquisition in a diary. (Photo: CNA/Kelvin Chia)
Collectors often talk about passion, but rarely about resale. He doesn’t shy away from the topic: “To be honest, I really don’t know what my pieces are worth now. Once I sold a piece locally — it had cost me £3,500 (US$4,684; S$6,070) but sold for far less than that. It was heartbreaking. People today don’t value these items in the same way; they want things for a song.”
Singapore, he said, is not a collector’s market for Wedgwood at the moment. “Maintaining and selling the collection here can be a challenge. I usually prefer to meet buyers first, to know if they genuinely want the item.”
Each piece is carefully maintained. “I choose where I display each piece carefully. Every now and then I take everything out: first I photograph the cabinet, then clean each item before putting it back in exactly the same place. They must never be in the sun, always in the shade. I use a dry cloth, or if there are blemishes, I wash with mild soap and water and let them dry naturally.”
Despite their age, Pereira said the older pieces are far from fragile. “The older pieces are not more delicate. In fact, they are the toughest ever.” His words could just as easily describe his own generation — Singaporeans who came of age before Independence, shaped by discipline and endurance.
Alongside the displays are small libraries of Wedgwood reference books, their spines creased and pages marked with tabs that correspond to his collection. Before the internet, this was how collectors did their research: through catalogues raisonnés, museum publications, specialist books, auction catalogues, and museum visits.
Though many people associate Wedgwood with museum vitrines — the brand has a permanent place in the V&A in London — it has quietly been experiencing a revival. In September 2025, Wedgwood launched a collaboration with Jonathan Anderson for his label, JW Anderson. The capsule features Greek cups inspired by a 5th-century mug from Anderson’s own ceramics collection, reimagined in jasper. The partnership highlights how Wedgwood’s legacy continues to inspire new generations of makers and collectors.
As Pereira sat among his cabinets of jasperware plaques and limited-edition vases, he reflected on the journey that began with that S$80 bowl at Robinsons.
“When I look at the ceramics, I feel satisfaction,” he said. “It was a hobby alongside my banking career. I used to hunt for pieces on my travels — at antique shops and fairs. This is my collection, my life. It represents years of dedicated collecting that started in my 20s. Money cannot buy that feeling. But if I pass away tomorrow, I’ll leave all this to my family.”
“It’s not just a collection. It’s my legacy.”
Continue reading...
In 1968, a young Eurasian man named Cedric Pereira, then working at a bank in Collyer Quay, stepped into the Robinsons department store at nearby Raffles Place. He had just received his bonus and was thinking about a ceramic ornament he had admired at his sister’s home — an elegant piece adorned with white reliefs of Grecian figures, which she told him came from Robinsons.
“It was a ceramic bowl in sage green that caught my eye. I plucked up my courage, parted with S$80 (US$62), which was more than a third of my monthly pay, and carried my first Wedgwood home,” Pereira recounted.
More than five decades later, that very bowl still sits proudly by the entrance of his home. Pereira, now in his 70s, is semi-retired and works part-time at a museum store. What began as an impulsive purchase has since grown into one of Singapore’s largest private Wedgwood collections.
The very first piece of Grecian bowl that Pereira bought. (Photo: CNA/Kelvin Chia)
THE GROWTH OF A COLLECTION
“From that one bowl, my passion just grew,” he continued. “I started collecting Mother’s Day plates, Christmas editions, Valentine’s Day editions, or limited-edition ones with runs of 500 pieces. I would purchase items to mark occasions, like my first work trip to Hong Kong. Then I moved on to museum-grade pieces. Over time, it became a collection. Today, I think I have about 300 pieces, though many are boxed up.”
Looking around his living room, it’s hard to imagine that many are in storage — his home is an homage to his collections. His favourite pieces are grouped by theme: displayed in glass cabinets, arranged on consoles, across the piano top, and even hung on the walls.
Josiah Wedgwood, often called “the father of English potters,” founded the brand in the mid-18th century. His innovations in design and technique quickly brought him international acclaim, and soon after, Queen Charlotte, wife of King George III, commissioned an extensive tea and dinner service. Wedgwood was appointed potter to Her Majesty soon after.
His creations soon graced the palaces and banqueting halls of Europe’s elite — from the holiday palace of Russia’s Empress Catherine the Great, who commissioned the famed Frog Service of over 900 pieces, to royal households across Europe. Even today, Wedgwood remains a fixture on state tables.
Pereira’s collection reflects a legacy of British craftsmanship, personal heritage, and enduring passion.(Photo: CNA/Kelvin Chia)
Of all Wedgwood’s creations, jasperware became — and remains — the most avidly collected. Developed in the 1770s, jasper is an unglazed stoneware known for its smooth matte finish, delicate neoclassical reliefs, and soft hues. Its most iconic colour, light Wedgwood Blue, endures as a brand signature.
Over the next quarter of a century, Pereira travelled repeatedly to the UK, eventually buying a second home there and making frequent visits to the Wedgwood factory (now the World of Wedgwood) in Staffordshire.
“I witnessed the intricate production stages: the moulding, firing and colouring. Seeing the craftsmanship gave me new appreciation for each creation.” As a key customer, he also met the late Lord Piers Wedgwood, fifth-generation grandson of the founder, several times in Singapore in the late 1980s. “He was a very amiable person.”
Cedric Pereira (right) and the late Lord Piers Wedgwood, fifth-generation grandson of the founder of Wedgwood. (Photo: CNA/Kelvin Chia)
TREASURES AMONG TREASURES
Among his 300 pieces, several stand out. Jasperware dominates his cabinets — the familiar blues, sage greens, and even rare pink editions. Yet it’s not all pastels. Pereira also sought out the drama of black basalt and gold in the Egyptian Revival jasper series, inspired by Britain’s 19th-century fascination with ancient Egypt. Vases and plaques gleam with gilded hieroglyphic motifs, flanked by a pair of canopic jars created to mark the 75th anniversary of Tutankhamun’s tomb discovery. “The canopic jars were especially hard to find but I was lucky to get edition number three in a series of 200,” he admitted.
Pereira also sought out the drama of black basalt and gold. This black basalt fishtail ewer is based on a 17th-century design by Jacques Stella, a celebrated French painter. (Photo: CNA/Kelvin Chia)
A display of Egyptian Revival–inspired jasperware and gilded ceramics, featuring intricate hieroglyphic motifs and pharaonic figures. (Photo: CNA/Kelvin Chia)
Nearby, a shelf is devoted to the British royal family: coronation and jubilee editions for Queen Elizabeth II, tributes to the Queen Mother, and commemoratives for the wedding of William and Kate. On the walls, black basalt plaques depict British landmarks such as St Paul’s Cathedral and the Palace of Westminster, their neoclassical silhouettes raised in quiet relief against matte black.
Some of his most prized pieces mirror those displayed in the world’s great museums — chief among them, the Portland Vase. He lifted out his cobalt-blue jasper version with quiet pride. Unlike the opaque whites and pale blues of newer jasperware, this one is alive with contrast: diaphanous white figures floating against deep blue, emulating the transparency of glass. “When I held it for the first time, the beauty of the reliefs on the vase and even on the undercarriage of the base kept me truly spellbound,” he recalled.
The Portland Vase is Wedgwood’s most celebrated achievement. (Photo: CNA/Kelvin Chia)
The Portland Vase, a big get for a collector, remains Wedgwood’s most celebrated achievement. Founder Josiah Wedgwood devoted five years and thousands of experiments to recreating the ancient Roman Barberini Vase, made in the early first century BC. When he succeeded in 1790, it was more than a perfect replica — it was proof that ceramics could rival, even surpass, the finest achievements of glassmaking.
Its unclothed classical figures reflect the 18th-century view of nudity as divinity and perfection. Pereira gestured to them and said: “Notice the difference? These are marked with naked figures. Later, during Queen Victoria’s reign, modesty dictated that they had to be clothed.” Victorian sensibilities demanded modesty and thus, Wedgwood creations draped their once-naked mythological characters in flowing garments. Pereira shares this cultural shift with fascination.
Other rare pieces hold equal weight: the Apollo Vase, a pale-blue and white jasper design created in 1930 by John Goodwin to mark the 200th anniversary of Josiah Wedgwood’s birth. Only 50 were produced. “I was overjoyed to find one on eBay in 2004. To own such a Bicentenary piece felt extraordinary — it’s truly a magnificent piece of art,” he said.
The Apollo Vase was created in 1930 by John Goodwin to mark the 200th anniversary of Josiah Wedgwood’s birth. (Photo: CNA/Kelvin Chia)
Equally striking is a pair of jasper ewers in the same pale-blue tones, known as Sacred to Bacchus and Neptune. Designed by John Flaxman, one of Wedgwood’s best-known artists, the ewers each tell a different story — the wine jug shows vines and satyrs celebrating Bacchus, the god of wine, while the water jug features dolphins, tridents and sea creatures linked to Neptune, god of the sea. “I bought them in 1995. They’ve been with me for 30 years now.” For Pereira, they remain some of the most eye-catching items in the collection.
And then there is the rarer Michelangelo Bowl, with a crisp white profile portrait against jasper blue. Wedgwood made only a small number of these to celebrate Renaissance masters, and they are seldom seen today.
The Michelangelo Bowl. (Photo: CNA/Kelvin Chia)
PERSONAL TREASURES
Pereira’s voice softened as he showed a portrait medallion of Queen Elizabeth II. “The most precious piece to me is this Queen portrait medallion issued in a limited edition. This is labelled number one of a run of 500,” he said, turning it over to reveal the inscription. It was produced to celebrate her 60th birthday in 1986.
Like most serious collectors, Pereira keeps a meticulous record, logging each acquisition in a diary. But beyond the orderliness lies quiet pleasure. “Sometimes in the evenings I’ll sit with a drink in hand and just look at the collection. It gives me a sense of calm and satisfaction. Every piece has a story, and I like reliving them.”
Among those stories are the trophies of any collector: first editions. He owns at least five Wedgwood pieces labelled No. 1 in their limited runs, including a black basalt vase from the Heritage Collection. Each holds a place of pride.
“For me, symbolism matters as much as rarity,” he shared. “I like numbers that add up to eight. My birthday is on the eighth, so when I could, I chose editions numbered one, eight, seventeen, or twenty-six… always something that came back to eight.”
This is Pereira's most treasured piece in his collection, the Queen Elizabeth portrait medallion. (Photo: CNA/Kelvin Chia)
Over the years, his passion extended beyond Wedgwood to include other European makers — Herend Porcelain, Crown Derby, Waterford Crystal, Lladró, and Swarovski. Still, it was always Wedgwood that lay at the heart of his collecting journey.
FAMILY MEMORIES
Part of Pereira’s attachment to Wedgwood stems from heritage. Raised in a Eurasian family steeped in British traditions, he grew up with gatherings that revolved around teatime and elaborate meals served on a dinner service — a complete set of matching plates, bowls, and serving dishes brought out only on important occasions.
“Special meals from my childhood centred around a dinner service set that my grandmother had, he recalled. “While it wasn’t Wedgwood, it was gifted to her as a token of appreciation for hosting a badminton tournament on her premises. It was such a precious gift to her, and she used it only for Christmas or Easter. She and I were close; we spent a lot of time together. She always gave the best advice. After she passed away, I eventually inherited the set, along with all the memories that came with it.”
Pereira’s Wedgwood dinner service in Gold Columbia, a fine bone china pattern accented with gilt detailing, which he uses for New Year’s Day celebrations. (Photo: CNA/Kelvin Chia)
As he spoke, he reminisced fondly about her meals. “She made a dessert called blancmange, especially at Christmas, Easter and birthdays. It was in pink with rose syrup, or chocolate, and the grandchildren always made a dash for it,” he said with a smile.
Today, Pereira owns nine full dinner services, five of them Wedgwood. The tradition continues: each set is reserved for special occasions, with one kept aside specifically for Christmas and another brought out for New Year’s Day.
THE FRUSTRATIONS OF VALUE
Like most serious collectors, Pereira keeps a meticulous record, logging each acquisition in a diary. (Photo: CNA/Kelvin Chia)
Collectors often talk about passion, but rarely about resale. He doesn’t shy away from the topic: “To be honest, I really don’t know what my pieces are worth now. Once I sold a piece locally — it had cost me £3,500 (US$4,684; S$6,070) but sold for far less than that. It was heartbreaking. People today don’t value these items in the same way; they want things for a song.”
Singapore, he said, is not a collector’s market for Wedgwood at the moment. “Maintaining and selling the collection here can be a challenge. I usually prefer to meet buyers first, to know if they genuinely want the item.”
RITUAL OF CARE
Each piece is carefully maintained. “I choose where I display each piece carefully. Every now and then I take everything out: first I photograph the cabinet, then clean each item before putting it back in exactly the same place. They must never be in the sun, always in the shade. I use a dry cloth, or if there are blemishes, I wash with mild soap and water and let them dry naturally.”
Despite their age, Pereira said the older pieces are far from fragile. “The older pieces are not more delicate. In fact, they are the toughest ever.” His words could just as easily describe his own generation — Singaporeans who came of age before Independence, shaped by discipline and endurance.
Alongside the displays are small libraries of Wedgwood reference books, their spines creased and pages marked with tabs that correspond to his collection. Before the internet, this was how collectors did their research: through catalogues raisonnés, museum publications, specialist books, auction catalogues, and museum visits.
Though many people associate Wedgwood with museum vitrines — the brand has a permanent place in the V&A in London — it has quietly been experiencing a revival. In September 2025, Wedgwood launched a collaboration with Jonathan Anderson for his label, JW Anderson. The capsule features Greek cups inspired by a 5th-century mug from Anderson’s own ceramics collection, reimagined in jasper. The partnership highlights how Wedgwood’s legacy continues to inspire new generations of makers and collectors.
As Pereira sat among his cabinets of jasperware plaques and limited-edition vases, he reflected on the journey that began with that S$80 bowl at Robinsons.
“When I look at the ceramics, I feel satisfaction,” he said. “It was a hobby alongside my banking career. I used to hunt for pieces on my travels — at antique shops and fairs. This is my collection, my life. It represents years of dedicated collecting that started in my 20s. Money cannot buy that feeling. But if I pass away tomorrow, I’ll leave all this to my family.”
“It’s not just a collection. It’s my legacy.”
Continue reading...