One iconic type is the Biot jar, named
after the small town in southeastern France
where hundreds of thousands of vessels were
produced and exported as far as America
and the coast of India. Still known today as
Potter’s Village, Biot sits on a hilltop south of
Nice, mere miles from the sea.
Olive jugs bearing the name of this com-
mune are typically large—more than three
feet in height—with a shape much like the
Mediterranean fruit they often carried. Pottery
of this size was not crafted on a wheel but by
using an ancient technique called the rope-
thrown method. After winding ropes around a
wooden framework, artisans applied wet clay to
the outside, smoothing the surface and waiting
for the formation to dry prior to removing the
structure, which left a beautiful horizontal pat-
tern inside. The interior and neck were glazed
before fi ring in order to protect the terra-cotta
from absorbing any oil it might store.
Our assortment, consisting of pieces
mostly from the late eighteenth century,
includes these classic French jars, as well as
some other variations with distinct charac-
teristics, such as handles, spigots, glaze drips,
and even maker’s marks. Each of these fea-
tures is rare and sought after by collectors who
decorate both home and garden with these
uniquely textured antiques.97 Victoria October 2019