Denby Studio Large Lidded Casserole in Grey and Rust Stoneware

Denby has been making stoneware in Derbyshire since 1809, and the Studio range is one of its most characterful mid century designs. Produced from 1961 to 1974 on a shape by Kenneth Clark, Studio pairs a soft blue grey glaze with dark brown vertical lines and warm orange highlights on the knob and handles. This large two handled lidded casserole is the generous centrepiece of the range, the sort of pot made for slow cooking and bringing straight to the table.

We love how usable Studio still is. Denby stoneware was built to go from oven to table and back to the dishwasher, and this piece has the reassuring weight and even glaze that made the pottery a fixture in British kitchens. It measures 34 x 23 x 15 cm, roomy enough for a family braise, a Sunday casserole or a big batch of soup, with the lid keeping everything hot on its way to the table.

Condition is good and honest, with a bright glaze, crisp pattern and the Denby backstamp to the base. There is a tiny hairline crack inside, pictured closely so you can see it for yourself, along with gentle wear in keeping with a pot that has cooked many good meals. It remains a handsome and useful piece.

A large Studio casserole like this works as hard for its looks as its function. Stand it on an open shelf where the grey and rust play against pale wood, bring it out for slow weekend cooking, or group it with vintage glassware and a wooden board for a kitchen that feels lived in rather than staged. If you already own Studio, Ode or Echo, it will sit happily alongside them on the same Kenneth Clark shape.