Antique 'Smammriato' Yeast Pot

A charming antique yeast pot hailing from the southern italian region of calabria, and particularly rare with its intact lid. Dating back to the late 1800s, this terracotta pot has a well-loved patina that is testament to its daily use, where it was originally used for storing the family’s mother yeast. The green splatter effect on the surface comes from the ancient tradition of ‘smammriato’ - where artisans, in order to conceal defects from enamelling, dripped additional colours on the surface using small branches, especially bunches of thyme or from olive trees as a brush. This unique technique means each piece is one of a kind, with the wonderful colour combination of vivid green spots and splashes of rust red set against the buttermilk base. Today it would be ideal as storage or a decorative display piece to inject some colour into any home or space. Found in ostuni. The charming hilltop town of the valle d’itria known as ‘la città bianca’ (or white city). Dimensions: h18cm X w17cm X d17cm. These are handmade antique ceramics that are perfectly imperfect and some have been used for generations, so please expect some cracks, and chips, and discolouration. These individual characteristics are part of the charm and unique quality of each piece. Please note, colour may vary from screen to screen.