Pit-Fired Hand-Thrown Signed Studio Ceramic Sculpture — 2-Piece

A two-piece hand-thrown studio ceramic composition executed in the pit-firing tradition — one broad oblate vessel form with a narrow eccentric opening, and one flattened lens form that rests on the shoulder of the body to complete the stack. The unglazed earthenware surface is finished in terra sigillata, an ultra-refined clay slip burnished to a satin sheen before firing, which serves as the canvas for the atmospheric effects of the pit. The result is a warm ground of cream and blush pink swept with carbon flash marks ranging from fine hairline traces to bold, ink-like blooms; the two pieces carry distinct firing atmospheres — the lens form tending toward soft rose and diffuse carbon, the vessel body toward bolder, more concentrated splashes — a compositional contrast that reads as intentional rather than incidental. An incised maker's mark is present on the foot ring.

The two pieces display equally well stacked as a unified sculptural form or separated as two independent objects. The lens form alone is a complete, display-worthy piece in its own right.

CONDITION

Good. Both pieces are structurally sound with no chips or cracks observed. Light shelf wear is present on the foot ring consistent with display use. All carbon deposits, blush tones, and surface variation are intrinsic to the pit-firing process and are not condition flaws.

DIMENSIONS / SPECIFICATIONS

• Vessel body: 5.25" H × 8.5" Diameter
• Lens form: 2.5" H × 5" Diameter
• Construction: Hand-thrown
• Surface finish: Terra sigillata — burnished unglazed earthenware
• Firing method: Pit firing — atmospheric carbon flash, low-fire reduction
• Signed: Incised maker's mark to foot ring
• Campbell's Soup Can (4" H) Shown for Scale