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Helga Ritsch
Grooved stoneware vessel (2024)
Single piece, stoneware, sandy, unglazed
Description
At first glance, the beauty of this earthy-hued vessel appears to be in its abundant simplicity. However, closer inspection reveals subtle grooves running the length of its circumference. The skilled hand of Helga Ritsch applies these manually using a tiny, wooden-handled metal tool as the clay spins on her wheel. What’s more, the artist’s architectural background is evident in the overall form.
Stockist
AGOBAY Showroom ZurichSkilfully crafted entirely by Helga’s hands on the potter’s wheel, each piece is unique, without any possibility of replication. This grooved stoneware vessel gains its lasting strength during oxidation firing at 1,340°. All of Helga’s unglazed works are finely sanded twice by hand.
This piece features a copper thread looped over the rim and back through a tiny hole. Over time, this delicate decorative element, which is a signature mark of the artist, might detach itself from the vessel – a “loss” that isn’t truly a loss, as it symbolises your ongoing appreciation and use of the piece.
The vessel bears the artist’s signature and stamp, and is created at her atelier, located within her 400-year-old home in Soazza, a village of just over 300 inhabitants nestled in the Swiss mountains.
138 grams, height 50 mm, diameter 118 mm
Stoneware
The vessel is dishwasher safe. However, once you hold your piece in your hands, you will probably prefer to care for it personally. We recommend handwashing it gently with a soft sponge and thoroughly drying it. Do not wash it with any cleansing agents, and avoid using abrasive sponges. It must not be directly exposed to temperature shocks, whether from a flame, conventional oven, microwave, induction cooktop, freezer, refrigerator or other source of heat or cold. Avoid any shocks or friction. If you care for it, it will last a lifetime and beyond, unless it is accidentally dropped or shattered. Over time, this unglazed piece may develop a distinct patina, a natural transformation influenced by its purpose and usage. Evolving at its own unhurried pace, this process enriches your piece, rendering it truly one of a kind.
Every stoneware object is meticulously packaged to ensure its safe delivery. In the rare event of any cracks occurring during shipping, please contact us within a week of delivery.
