Hiro Fish Stoneware Vase 21cm - Blue

This is a stoneware vase made in the shape of a fish, caught mid-leap with its mouth open wide, and that open mouth is the neck of the vase. The body rises upright from a tail that curls out to one side, and every part of it is modelled in relief: overlapping scales down the flanks, ribbed fins and a fanned tail lined from tip to base. The blue glaze collects in the hollows and runs thinner over the raised edges, so the bare stoneware shows through on each scale and gives the pattern its depth. It stands 21cm tall, 17cm long and 13.5cm wide, a compact size for a shelf or a sill.

At this height it suits places where it is seen up close: a windowsill, a bookshelf, a glass-fronted cabinet among plates and cups, or the end of a sideboard. The open mouth takes a small bunch of dried grasses or a few long stems, which fan out above the head of the fish like spray, and it is just as good left empty as a ceramic sculpture. It sits happily in a kitchen or dining room beside other blue pieces, suits a seaside or cottage scheme, and makes a cheerful gift for anyone who loves the coast, fishing or a piece with some character.

Stoneware is a dense, hard-wearing ceramic, and this vase weighs 0.98KG. The maker notes that, due to the nature of the glaze, colour variations may occur, so the blue on yours may sit a little paler or deeper than on another, with its own runs and pools where the glaze has settled. We like that: no two look quite alike. For styling, set it slightly side-on so the curl of the tail shows in profile, and keep any stems loose and tall so the fish looks as though it is leaping through them.

What is the vase made of?

It is made of 100% stoneware, a dense ceramic, finished in a blue glaze that lets the bare stoneware show at the edges of the raised scales.

How big is the fish vase?

It is 21cm tall, 17cm long and 13.5cm wide, and it weighs 0.98KG, a size that suits a windowsill, a shelf or a cabinet.

Will mine look exactly the same as another?

Not exactly. The maker notes that due to the nature of the glaze colour variations may occur, so the depth of blue and the runs of glaze differ a little on each vase.

What can I put in it?

The open mouth suits dried grasses, dried flowers or a few long stems, and the vase works equally well left empty as a decorative fish on a shelf.

Which part of the fish forms the opening?

The open mouth of the fish forms the neck of the vase and faces upwards, so any stems rise out of its head as if it were leaping.