Antique Ocher Glazed French Oval Platter from Chanteduc

An antique ocher-glazed earthenware platter from the main kitchen at Chanteduc, Patricia Wells’ Provençal home. Found at a local brocante (flea market) and immediately put to work, it became a favorite for carrying food from garden to table. “I love platters like these because they stack,” Patricia explains, and this one lived neatly on the open shelf with its companions in daily rotation, a straightforward tool with a cook’s authority. Oval and generously scaled, the platter shows a warm ocher glaze with a glossy, honeyed surface. The softly molded rim has gentle undulations that frame whatever it carries, while light speckling and subtle pooling speak to traditional craftsmanship. It is in very good condition with no chips. From Patricia’s personal collection, it reflects her sensibility of intelligent simplicity and usefulness: imagine grilled vegetables, a roast chicken or a chèvre tart arranged here, then carried straight to the table. Use it often, then let it rest where it looks best, stacked on an open shelf or hung as part of a batterie de cuisine (cook’s tool wall) to bring a touch of Chanteduc’s convivial kitchen into everyday life.