19th-century confit pot w/ pretty yellow-ochre drips - southwest France 11½"

A lovely confit pot with pretty yellow-ochre drips and traces of black glaze on the handles. This classic French confit pot is from southwest France and dates from the late nineteenth century. Note the pretty tapered base that is unglazed. Confit pots were half-glazed for two reasons. Firstly to stop rodents being able to grip onto the surface of the pot and help themselves to the contents. Secondly, they were glazed inside and the top half of the outside to keep the pot cool through evaporation. Pots were often buried in the ground of the cellar to preserve the contents - usually meat that was sealed with a layer of fat.

Today, this fantastic piece is a lovely way to add a touch of Provence to your interiors or to enhance an existing collection of French pottery. If using for flowers, we recommend placing a container inside the pot first in case of condensation.

Please note areas where glaze has worn off around the rim and as seen in photos.