Alea Floral Stoneware Vase 21cm - Pink

This is a small stoneware vase with real character: a round belly, a short neck finished with a rolled lip, two loop handles and a raised pedestal foot that lifts it clear of the surface. The whole piece is painted by hand in pink, with a large open rose across the centre of the belly, smaller blooms, buds and leaves around it and a spray of tiny flower heads rising towards the neck. It stands 21cm tall and 13cm across, is made entirely of stoneware and weighs 0.8KG.

At 21cm tall it suits a loose handful of flowers, a few dried stems or a small bunch from the market rather than an armful of tall branches. The handles and pedestal give it the shape of an old trophy urn, so it holds its own on a chest of drawers, a sideboard, a mantelpiece or a dressing table, and it brings a cottage, vintage feel to a bedroom or sitting room. It also looks well standing empty on a bookshelf, where the painted rose does all the work. For anyone who loves floral pottery and old-fashioned prints, it makes a thoughtful gift.

Stoneware is fired at a high temperature, which makes it dense and hard-wearing, and that suits a piece that will be handled and moved around the house. The pattern is painted by hand rather than printed, and the brushwork shows in the petals, the leaves and the soft rings around the foot. It does not go in the dishwasher, so wash it by hand instead. As a styling note, choose flowers in soft pinks and pale tones that echo the painted rose, and let a few stems fall loosely over the rim and past the handles, as the shape is made for a relaxed, generous bunch rather than a tight posy.

How big is the vase?

It stands 21cm tall and measures 13cm across, a good size for a loose handful of flowers or a few dried stems.

What material is the vase?

The vase is made of 100% stoneware, a dense, hard-wearing ceramic, and its floral pattern is painted by hand.

Can it go in the dishwasher?

No. The maker states it should not go in the dishwasher, so wash this vase by hand instead.

How heavy is it?

It weighs 0.8KG, which gives it a reassuring heft for a stoneware vase that stands 21cm tall.

Does it have handles?

Yes. It has two loop handles, one on each side, together with a raised pedestal foot and a rolled lip at the neck.

Is the pattern printed or painted?

It is painted by hand. The design is a large open rose with smaller blooms, buds and leaves around it, all worked in pink.