Egg cups Pottery from the Black Valley grey and turquoise Berry stoneware

Here is an adorable pair of egg cups shaped like roosters made from Berry stoneware. Both feature very successful glazes, one in a wonderful turquoise colour, the other in milky grey tones, a typical glaze from the workshop "Les poteries de la Vallée Noire" in Verneuil-sur-Igneraie. This workshop, which had been in existence since 1832 (previously the Mijoin workshop), has been closed for a few years now; it was the last potter in this town, which had up to 19 in the 19th century. It is a very beautiful piece of craftsmanship, both in the modelling of the clay, which is very fine and precise, and in the glazing, which is so distinctive; the milky grey has even been named "Gris de Verneuil". What I also love about the work from this workshop is the way the glaze is applied, allowing the colour of the clay to show on the edges; the result is truly very aesthetic. Under the base of the egg cups, there is a stamped marking indicating that these egg cups probably belonged to the ceramics of the last period. Indeed, until 2005, the pottery only bore the letters VN engraved by hand. These egg cups are in perfect condition, with no cracks, chips, or even a nick. They measure approximately 12 cm in length, 5.5 cm in width, and 8 cm in maximum height. The photos on a white background are more true to life regarding the lovely turquoise colour.