Antique French Confit Pot with Ear Handles, Small

Period: Early 20th century, French

Size: 5 inches tall, 6 inches wide with the handles, 3½ inch mouth, 4¼ inch base

A small stoneware confit pot with a swelling body, two pulled ear handles at the shoulder, a wide rolled rim, and a band of incised rings at the shoulder. The glaze is a bright warm cream, glossy inside and out, with a soft satin finish over the body. The rim and base are left bare where the pot sat on the kiln shelf. A few dark specks in the glaze are from the firing. Wear consistent with age and use, sold as found.

Historical Context

Pots of this shape held confit, duck or pork cooked slowly in its own fat and stored under it through the winter, and they came in a run of sizes from a single serving up to the family crock. This is one of the smallest, made for a portion or two, and pots this size were just as often used for salt, lard or rendered fat by the stove. The ears gave a grip for lifting a pot that was sealed and heavy.

Styling Ideas

Use it on a desk for pens, on a kitchen counter for salt or a bunch of herbs, or on a bathroom vanity for cotton and small brushes. It takes a tea light or a small plant, and it stands well in a group with taller pots.