Jug signed by Atch, Chantal and Thierry Robert, Grès du Loir

Charming glazed ceramic jug with that beautiful grey-blue typical of the work of Chantal and Thierry Robert (Atch). When I saw it, I immediately thought it resembled their work a lot with this very particular colour, but the slightly incised decoration showing small pastel-coloured houses made me doubt. However, underneath the base, you can indeed find the Atch signature; in any case, it strongly resembles it, although it is not easily readable as it is hand-engraved and relatively small. For me, there is no room for doubt, it is their work, but I leave it to you to judge. This is the first time I have encountered one of their ceramics with such a decoration. It is a beautiful piece of craftsmanship, both in terms of turning and shaping with these soft and harmonious lines, as well as in the glazing. Chantal and Thierry Robert were very active and innovative from the 1960s until the 1990s, in Poncé-sur-Loir at their workshop "le grès du Loir." Here, the "Atch" signature has been hand-carved into the stoneware rather than stamped, as is often the case, so I suppose this is a piece made quite early, in the early 1960s, before these potters had a stamp made. This jug is in perfect condition, with no cracks, chips, or even a scratch, and the interior is completely clean. It measures 16.5 cm in height, approximately 16 cm in width from the handle to the body, and about 12 cm in maximum diameter.