Blue and White Sgraffito Hand

This folk art piece has a period vibe, but is unlike any antique you will have seen before. Blue and White pottery arrived in the Europe between the 16 and 17 century and has been a staple part of our ceramic culture since.  The work is a nod to the old English tradition of carving into slipware to create a strong line, a technique called Sgraffito. Sgraffito looks similar to a wood cut print affect, as opposed to the flatter more traditional effect of applying underglaze with a brush and then glazing over the top, unfortunately though there is no quick way to replicate this technique without starting again from scratch.  

This piece is decorated in sgraffito and the hand (right hand) is first sculpted in its entirety from clay, then under glazed and then carved into over several days; every mark is irreversible, and whilst in this state the clay is incredibly brittle and prone to disintegrating if too much pressure is applied.  The piece's symbolism is, like most of our work, steeped in folk magic and represents protection of the owner and/or household. The various eyes seek to reflect back any envy, or ill will to those that may wish badly upon the household and inhabitants.  The ivy which covers the piece represents everlasting life, devotion, fidelity and loyalty.  

As with all items made with magical intent for protection, we must state we can offer no guarantees the hand is for aesthetic purposes only. 

Please note: because of technical reasons, colours might appear different on your screen. Please also note that our items are hand made and are not "perfect" in every sense. They will bear the marks of the handmade pottery creation process that is missing from mass produced items.

Height 183mm   Width  128mm   Depth   111mm   Weight   1161g