Original Gerz Westerwald Stoneware Pitcher, Cobalt Blue Floral, W. Germany, c.1950s

This pitcher has been quietly judging your kitchen ever since it arrived. And honestly, it has a point. Because this is Original Gerz — stamped right there on the base, triangle logo and all — from the Westerwald region of West Germany, where they have been making salt-glazed stoneware since the 16th century. This particular example dates to the 1950s and is exactly what good German craft looks like: solid, unpretentious, and built to outlast everything else in the room.

The form is classic Westerwald: a generous bulbous body on a raised foot ring, a wide pouring lip, and a sturdy loop handle glazed in deep cobalt blue. The decoration is hand-painted in that same rich cobalt — bold scrolling vines, a stylised flower, and a cross-hatch motif on the reverse, all set against the characteristic grey salt-glazed ground that gives Westerwald stoneware its distinctive, slightly textured appearance.

Use it as a water pitcher, a vase for dried grasses, or simply as the most characterful object on your kitchen shelf. It doesn't mind. It's been around long enough to be flexible about these things.

• Original Gerz, Westerwald, W. Germany — stamped on base
• Salt-glazed grey stoneware with hand-painted cobalt blue decoration
• Scrolling vine, floral and cross-hatch motifs
• Cobalt blue glazed handle and rim bands
• Excellent condition — no chips or cracks
• 15 × 15 × 11 cm, 515 g
• West Germany, c.1950s

WARNING: Once you put this on a shelf, you will immediately want to fill it with something photogenic. Dried pampas grass, fresh herbs, or just water — it doesn't matter. It will look good regardless. Maison de L'oro accepts no responsibility for any subsequent styling obsessions.