Mali Slanting Jug - White & Terracotta

A small terracotta jug, 11.5cm tall and 9.5cm across, with straight walls that slant outward from the rim down to a wider foot. The upper part of the body is glazed in a soft off white that lies thicker in some places than others and carries fine specks through it. Below the glaze line the clay is left bare, a red brown shot through with orange grit. The rim is pulled into a plain pouring lip on one side, and there is no handle.

At 11.5cm this is a table jug rather than a water jug. It suits cream and milk, or a sauce to go round at a meal, and the lip is small, so it pours from a narrow point. From across a table the glazed top and the bare clay foot read as two separate bands. The wide foot holds it steady on a tray.

The jug is terracotta, glazed on the upper part and left unglazed below. It is fired in a small kiln built simply from bricks and lit by an open fire, a slow process, and the pottery is made in southern India as part of a fair trade project set up to train and employ men and women from disadvantaged backgrounds. The glaze varies in thickness across each jug and the grit in the clay falls differently on every one. The Mali range runs on to mugs and a ribbed teapot.

Is it dishwasher safe?

Yes. It is microwave safe and food safe as well.

Does it have a handle?

No. It is 11.5cm tall and is held by the body.

What is the bare band at the bottom?

Unglazed terracotta. The glaze is taken down only part of the body and the clay below it is left as it is.

How do I look after it?

Wash it after every use to prevent staining, using a mild detergent, and do not leave it to soak. Handle it with care, since the clay will chip.

Will every jug look the same?

Not exactly. The glaze lies at a different thickness on every jug and the orange grit in the clay falls differently on each one.