Antique French Glazed Terracotta Walnut Oil Jug or or Cruche à Huile, 14" Tall

Antique French glazed terracotta oil jug or confit pot, believed to be a cruche à huile from the potteries of southwest France. The rounded, egg-shaped belly is bare, wheel-thrown terracotta in warm honey and apricot tones with smoky gray firing marks, while the narrow neck and shoulder wear a bib of glossy orange lead glaze, finished with a pale cream rim. A ribbed strap handle sweeps from neck to shoulder, a looped handle at the front made it easy to tip and pour, and two small lug ears sit on the shoulder. Price includes shipping!

Jugs like this once held walnut oil, the everyday lamp oil and cooking oil of rural Périgord, Quercy and the Auvergne until kerosene and tinware replaced them in the later 19th century. Generations of use have left the unglazed body with a beautifully mottled, chalky patina. Just the right size for a kitchen shelf, a mantel or a deep windowsill, on its own or with a few dried branches.

KEY FEATURES

• Maker / Manufactory: Believed to be a regional pottery of southwest France (Quercy or Périgord)
• Material: Terracotta, with an orange lead glaze on the neck and shoulder
• Technique: Wheel-thrown, with a ribbed neck handle, a looped front pouring handle and two lug ears

DETAILS

• Country: France
• Condition: Very Good 
• Year: 19th Century
• Dimensions: H 14" x D 9"