Timeless Authentic Ceramics Handpicked in Southern Italy

A rare extra-large early-19th-century antique confit pot from Calabria, Southern Italy, featuring a spontaneous hand-painted Tree of Life motif in deep green. With its impressive 38.5 cm height, generous proportions and wonderfully rustic surface, this is an exceptional example of traditional Southern Italian farmhouse pottery.

Traditionally known as a vasetto, this type of ceramic vessel was used for preserving foods such as anchovies, sardines, figs and olives in olive oil. The large rounded form and side handles made it practical for storing and handling food in the family kitchen.

The hand-painted Tree of Life motif is particularly distinctive. Traditionally associated with good fortune, longevity and the hope of a plentiful harvest, the simple abstract design gives this otherwise rustic vessel a beautiful decorative quality.

The pot has developed an authentic patina through generations of everyday use and the natural ageing of the ceramic. Subtle variations in the glaze, surface and hand-painted decoration make this one-of-a-kind piece completely individual.

Today, this exceptional Calabrian confit pot works beautifully as a statement vase or decorative vessel. Its generous scale makes it particularly effective filled with branches or dried flowers, or displayed on its own as a sculptural piece.

Found in Ostuni, the whitewashed hilltop town of Puglia's Valle d'Itria, this vessel is a wonderful example of the diverse Southern Italian ceramics discovered by Rivesto.

Pair it with the matching Tree of Life vessels shown in the photographs for a striking collected display.

Details

• Period: Early 1800s

• Origin: Calabria, Southern Italy

• Found in: Ostuni, Valle d'Itria, Puglia

• Material: Hand-thrown ceramic / terracotta

• Traditional form: Vasetto / confit pot

• Decoration: Hand-painted Tree of Life motif

• Colour: Deep green

• Original use: Food preservation

• Features: Extra-large form and two handles

• Dimensions: H38.5 × W28 × D26 cm

As with all Rivesto antique ceramics, this piece is perfectly imperfect. Cracks, chips, discolouration and other signs of age may be present and form part of its authentic character and history. If using as a vase, we recommend placing a separate watertight vessel or glass vials inside. Please note that colours may vary slightly from screen to screen.

A rare late-18th-century antique Puglian vasetto, or traditional confit pot, with a beautifully rustic half-glazed finish. Hand thrown with two practical side handles, this charming Southern Italian vessel features a soft buttermilk glaze that gives way naturally to exposed raw terracotta towards the base.

Traditionally used for preserving foods such as anchovies, sardines, figs and olives in olive oil, the vasetto was an essential vessel in the Southern Italian family kitchen. Its generous rounded form and two handles made it practical for storing and moving preserved foods.

The partial glaze was both practical and economical. The glazed upper section provided a smooth, hygienic surface that could be easily wiped clean after use, while leaving the lower section unglazed reduced the amount of glaze required during production.

Beautifully aged through generations of everyday use, the vessel has developed an authentic rustic patina, with subtle variations in colour and surface that make this one-of-a-kind piece completely individual.

Today, this antique Puglian vasetto makes a beautiful decorative vessel or vase for fresh or dried flowers. Display it alongside the matching larger and smaller Southern Italian vessels shown in the photographs for a collected farmhouse arrangement.

Found in Ostuni, the whitewashed hilltop town of Puglia's Valle d'Itria, this piece brings the warmth and simplicity of traditional Southern Italian pottery to a contemporary interior.

Details

• Period: Late 1700s

• Origin: Puglia, Southern Italy

• Found in: Ostuni, Valle d'Itria

• Material: Hand-thrown terracotta / ceramic

• Traditional form: Vasetto / confit pot

• Glaze: Soft buttermilk half glaze

• Finish: Raw terracotta base

• Features: Two side handles and rustic aged patina

• Original use: Food preservation

• Dimensions: H29 × W22 × D20 cm

As with all Rivesto antique ceramics, this piece is perfectly imperfect. Cracks, chips, discolouration and other signs of age may be present and form part of its authentic character and history. If using as a vase, we recommend placing a separate watertight vessel or glass vials inside. Please note that colours may vary slightly from screen to screen.