Large Glazed Earthenware Cooking Pot – Hanging Fireplace Pot – 17th/18th Century

A beautiful and authentic antique glazed earthenware cooking pot, dating from the 17th or 18th century, designed for cooking directly in the hearth. This wide cooking bowl, made from very thick clay, is rope-built, a traditional technique visible in the shaping striations. The robustness of the clay and the open shape clearly indicate pottery intended for domestic use, placed over the fire in large fireplaces. The exterior has a significant glaze drip, typical of utilitarian cooking pottery of this period. The interior is partially glazed to facilitate cooking and cleaning. A crack covered with glaze is visible inside, a clear sign of an accident during firing, and not a subsequent break. This detail confirms the piece's age and authenticity. A wire handle allowed the pot to be suspended from the hearth rack, so that dishes could be simmered directly over the embers. The pottery comes with an antique, carved wooden lid, crafted to perfectly fit the shape of the spout, a testament to its long domestic use. This piece powerfully evokes the culinary poetry of old kitchens, when rustic pottery hung in the fireplace accompanied the preparation of family meals.