Antique French confit pot w/ ochre-yellow glaze 10¼"

This classic French confit pot with handles is from south-west France and dates from the late nineteenth century. It has a lovely ochre-yellow glaze. Note the pretty tapered base that is unglazed.

Confit pots were half-glazed for two reasons. Firstly to stop rodents from being able to grip onto the surface of the pot and help themselves to the contents. Secondly, they were glazed inside and the top half of the outside to keep the pot cool through evaporation. Pots were often buried in the ground of the cellar to preserve the contents - usually meat that was sealed with a layer of fat. It would make a delightful addition to a collection of French pottery.