Porches Pottery

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Tea Light Holder

A small round tea-light holder that will fit a standard size candle. These little pieces can create a a romantic candle lit atmosphere. They can be used indoors and out and will lend atmosphere and ambiance to any occasion.

This new iteration of our classic Primavera design is light and effortless. It is a generously spaced decoration, with single flowers surrounded by a flurry of leaves. We have allowed a little more white space than our traditional Primavera, which enables the form of the piece to stand out. For chefs, this design will allow the dishes that you serve to shine, lightly enclosing your meals in a garland of spring-time flowers.

Artichoke is actually one of our oldest designs, but it had fallen into disuse after many years. We re-released it in 2015, making it both our newest and oldest design. This is a strong, stylised design that features the artichoke plant in two shades of blue, one a rich deep blue and one a softer pale blue. The pattern also features strong blue border trim. We think this design will complement a modern home just as well as a more traditional home.

7cm diameter x 3cm height - Artichoke Blue

All our ceramics are hand made and hand painted by skilled artisans using ancient techniques here in the Algarve region of Southern Portugal.

Red clay, earthenware pottery has been characteristic of the region ever since the Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, and Moors traded along the Algarvian coast. It has always been favoured for its hard-working, durable qualities. It has a satisfying weight and a robustness that is distinctive in the hand. In most instances, the shapes we use have been handed down, from potter to potter, for thousands of years and you will often find identical shapes in history museums across Europe.

The pottery is hand glazed and kiln fired to temperatures of over 1000º Centigrade (or around 2000º Fahrenheit), which makes it completely food safe, and brings out the lustrous finish.

We use the ancient Majolica technique to decorate our ceramics. This over glaze painting method demands free-flowing, confident brushwork, much like a fresco, and lends each piece with the distinct character of the artisan that has painted it. This means each and every piece is completely one-of-a-kind.

This is why you will find the signature of the artist and the mark of the Pottery on the base of each piece, though the trained eye can identify the artist from their brushwork alone.