Stoneware pitcher from Berry signed Les Poteries de la Vallée Noire.

Adorable little jug, probably a milk pot, made of stoneware with a wonderful milky grey glaze revealing the raw stoneware in places, just glazed, in light brown, a typical glaze from the workshop "Les poteries de la Vallée Noire" in Verneuil-sur-Igneraie, which has been in existence since 1832 (previously the Mijoin workshop) but is now closed; it was the last potter in this town, which had 19 in the 19th century. It is a very beautiful piece of craftsmanship, both for the turning and shaping of the clay, the Berry stoneware, with an elegant and practical shape (a handle large enough to hold comfortably, a spout nicely pinched), and for the glazing, so distinctive that it has been named "Gris de Verneuil". It is difficult to date this ceramic, as I have not found the date of the workshop's revival, but it did not belong to the ceramics of the last period, which had a more complete marking stamped instead of the letters VN, here engraved by hand under the base (with the number 10). This ceramic even still has a paper label on the side, so it has probably never been used. This ceramic is in good condition, with no cracks, but there is a small chip on the spout, fortunately not very visible as the colour of the stoneware under the chip is very close to the colour of the just-glazed stoneware on the rim of the jug. The pot measures 10 cm in height, approximately 10 cm in width from the handle to the body, and 6.5 cm in maximum diameter.