Antique Grottaglie Pot

A storage pot used for preserving food, found around Grottaglie, Puglia, dating from the late 19th to the early 20th century.

Among the folk pottery of Southern Italy, those covered in ivory-colored glaze are called robba bianca, and were used to preserve daily food items such as vegetables pickled in oil or vinegar, and salted fish.

In old folk pottery from Puglia, centered around Grottaglie, many vessels like this one are found that have almost no decoration.
Therefore, the distortions, spots, and variations in glaze thickness that occurred during the firing process become the character of the vessel itself.

It is not a uniform white, but a soft glaze with a mixture of milky white, ivory, and earthy tones.

The clay once harvested around Grottaglie was elastic enough to form large vessels, yet it also contained impurities.

The coarseness of that soil and the fluctuations during firing appear as glaze irregularities and slight distortions, leading to an unrefined, folk-art appearance.

Whether used as a vase, a cutlery holder, or simply placed on a shelf as is, it displays the simple and warm presence typical of everyday Southern Italian pottery.