Southern Stoneware Pitcher Salt and Ash Glazes
The shape of this large, handsome stoneware pitcher and its salt and ash glazes mark this piece as Southern pottery---probably North Carolina or Georgia. Our first photograph shows the two sides of the same piece, to exhibit the variety of surface textures. The pitcher stands 11 inches tall, has a circumference of 25 inches around the belly and weighs 5 pounds.
The expertly potted shapely rim and pulled spout top the long curving neck that ends in a ridge at the shoulder. The bulbous body flares out and then tapers down to a base with a narrow foot rim. The wide, applied strap handle ends in a trifid where it attaches to the neck, formed by the potter's thumb and two fingers.
The exterior is bumpy and somewhat rough and very tactile. The interior is fully glazed, smooth and shiny, and can hold a bunch of fresh daisies safely, if you're so inclined. A total of five stilt marks on the bottom attest to the weight of the piece.
There is a monogram, a "JD" in an oval (we checked it under magnification), impressed near the base of the handle. Impressive in size and created by an undoubtedly master potter, this pitcher can stand alone or in a grouping, looking great in a rustic or modern setting.
© PrimpingYourHome.com
PYH 5069
Brutal, deconstructed and reconstructed, "stitched" together, adorned with nuts and bolts--this large tortured bottle vase is a stunning piece of studio art pottery. We've dubbed this piece "After the Fall;" with its large "dents," one "tear," one hole, two areas of "abrasion" and several grooved "cracks" (all of these intentional, of course), it appears to be the victim of an accident. The salt glazed surface is heavily pitted, including the bottom, which adds to the rugged appearance. As you turn this bottle vase, each view is different and fascinating. The bottom is signed with an incised script which we weren't able to identify after much researching.
Brutalist design began in the 1950's with architecture made of concrete to achieve a modern look. The term for the movement was coined by Le Corbusier from the French "béton brut," which translates to "raw concrete" in English. Brutalism is menacing and rough, mangled and reactionary---all adjectives that suit this bottle vase perfectly.
This sculptural stoneware piece stands 12 inches tall, has a 23 inch circumference around the belly, with its ovoid form tapering to a 3 1/2 inch diameter base. Weighing 4 1/2 pounds, it is in excellent condition with no cracks or chips, except those that are part of its mutilated appearance. It's an exceptional, one of a kind, center of attention piece of art pottery.
© PrimpingYourHome.com
PYH 4706