Gear: Punch Bowls

Equal parts centerpiece and gathering point, a beautiful—and amply filled—punch bowl is a beacon of hospitality, encouraging guests to fill their cups and drop their worries. With as many styles as possible recipes, punch bowls can exemplify the mood of a celebration, from chic and sophisticated to warm and welcoming. Here are a few of our favorites.

MATCH Pewter Punch Bowl

The northern Italian pewter artisans at MATCH not only create their designs based on classic European forms, but often use original antiques to make their cast molds. As a result, pieces like this 3-gallon pewter punch bowl look as if they could have been lifted directly from the table of a medieval feast complete with a roast boar and drinks consumed from goblets. $1,149, westontable.com

Cocktail Kingdom x David Wondrich Punch Bowl

A collaboration between Cocktail Kingdom and the foremost authority on punch, David Wondrich, this 2-gallon stoneware bowl highlights punch’s historic roots with an interior decal of Thomas Rowlandson’s 1795 tinted etching “The Pretty Barr Maid” and a playful invocation from an 18th-century song lining the interior rim: You may talk of brisk claret, sing praises of sherry … But you must drink punch if you mean to be merry. $74.99, cocktailkingdom.com

Farmhouse Pottery Large Trunk Bowl

Inspired by the rings and natural shape of a tree trunk, the Trunk Bowl is thrown by hand on a potter’s wheel at Vermont-based Farmhouse Pottery. Holding up to 4 quarts of liquid, the durable glazed stoneware bowl is oven-, microwave- and dishwasher-safe. $225, augustgeorges.com

MENU Échasse Bowl

From Copenhagen-based designer Theresa Rand, the Échasse Bowl stands as a chic centerpiece atop its dainty brass legs (échasse means “stilts” in French). The smoked glass bowl measures 11.6 inches in diameter and 5.5 inches high, and when not proffering punch, it still makes for an elegant objet d’art. $350, menudesignshop.com

Waterford Lismore Diamond Encore Bowl

Reflecting the mastery of 200-plus years of crystal making, the Lismore Diamond Encore bowl from House of Waterford is the embodiment of opulence. Handmade by the company’s master artisans in Waterford, Ireland, the 12-inch crystal bowl shimmers with an intricate diamond pattern, elevating it to family heirloom status. $750, salliehome.com

Viski Footed Punch Bowl

With a modern shape, sturdy construction, and clean, minimal design, this 2 1⁄2-gallon footed punch bowl from Seattle-based glass and barware company Viski is as chic as it is economical. Pull it out for any occasion and save your money for the booze. $64.99, viski.com