Vintage ceramic duck pitcher St. Clément

The legendary St. Clément duck pitcher. A bit fabulous, a bit ridiculous — and completely irresistible. Discover our St. Clément duck pitcher: the cheerful ceramic companion that the French once knew in cafés, where it faithfully served water for pastis in the 1950s and 60s. Practical. Yes. Reasonable. Debatable. Delicious. Absolutely. The story goes... And now, the rumor that we probably shouldn’t love as much as we do… According to a charming tale (too good to be fully verified), the design of the duck was originally commissioned by Marie Antoinette herself. Apparently, the queen had a soft spot for “farm-core” long before Instagram made it trendy. Sheep, pigs, ducks — she wanted them all, but preferably in porcelain. Thus, the story goes that she requested duck-shaped pitchers for her whimsical mini-farm at Versailles, where she could live out her best pastoral fantasy while wearing impossibly delicate silk. True or not. Who knows. But is it a wonderful story to tell at the table. Of course. A joyful barnyard to collect. The St. Clément duck is just one star among a whole menagerie of French animal pitchers — roosters, pigs, cockatoos, and sometimes even a fish — each piece overflowing with personality. They are wonderfully hand-painted, a bit absurd, and completely irresistible. A pitcher is an offbeat accent; a collection becomes a true kitchen theater. Artisanal whimsy for the modern home. Whether you actually use your duck to serve drinks (it’s perfectly capable of that) or simply let it sit on a shelf as the charming eccentric it is, these vintage ceramics bring texture, history, and a touch of humor to any interior. About our troupe. We almost always have a small troupe of these charming ducks in our collection, each with its own personality. As each St. Clément piece is shaped and hand-painted, their colors, expressions, and little quirks vary — part of their irresistible charm, but also a reminder that your duck may differ slightly from the photos. What never varies, however, is their condition: we carefully select only intact and perfectly functional pitchers, ready to serve again. And to dispel a common misunderstanding: they are all truly vintage! St. Clément, one of the historic earthenware manufacturers in France founded in the mid-18th century, produced these whimsical animal pitchers throughout the early to mid-20th century. As our examples are so well-preserved — and because we often have several at once — some sometimes think they are new or Portuguese. This is not the case. They are authentic vintage French originals, with decades of stories behind them… even if they still look like they just came out of the pond. Dimensions: H 32 cm X W 11 cm X D 16 cm. Materials & techniques: hand-painted ceramics. Provenance: by St. Clément, France. Period: early to mid-20th century. Please note: as each St. Clément piece is shaped and hand-painted, their colors, expressions, and little quirks vary — part of their irresistible charm, but also a reminder that your duck may differ slightly from the photos. Condition: good vintage condition. They have lived a bit, like all the best pieces, but we select only intact and perfectly functional pitchers — no chips, just charming and well-mannered ducks, ready for a new round of service.