Vintage Italian Floral Relief Jug in Caramel Brown with Twig Handle

A vintage Italian pottery jug in a caramel brown streaked glaze, decorated in relief with bands of applied flowers in pink, yellow, blue and green, and finished with a dark twig shaped handle.

The flowers on this little jug remind us of the icing on top of midget gem biscuits: tiny five petalled blooms in sugary pastels, each one raised and crisp enough to run a fingertip over. A deep band of them circles the shoulder and a narrower garland runs around the foot, so the jug looks dressed for a party from every side.

Between the two garlands, the glaze is brushed in caramel and treacle streaks that give the body the look of polished wood. The handle carries the idea further, shaped like a bent twig with a small knot where a branch might once have been cut, and edged in glossy black to match the rim and foot. Inside, the glaze is a warm honey colour.

Italian potteries made flower encrusted jugs like this through the middle of the last century, largely for the tourist and export trade, and because the blooms were shaped and applied by hand, no two pieces are ever quite the same.

It stands 10cm tall, measures 12cm across to the handle and 9cm deep, a lovely size for a cream jug or a small posy. It is in good vintage condition, the glaze still bright and glossy, with a few tiny dark flecks from the original firing.

We would set it on the tea table for cream or milk, or fill it with lavender, snowdrops or sweet peas for a bedside table or windowsill. On a desk it makes a cheerful home for pencils and paintbrushes, and beside the kettle it can hold teaspoons. It would make a sweet gift for anyone who loves Italian pottery, cottage style kitchens or a little bit of whimsy on the dresser.