Reading · Singular by Sense of Spencer

I will do damage at any flea market, anywhere in the world. By far the #1 thing I look for is pottery – serveware, trinket dishes, cachepots, you name it.

Despite mostly being made to serve a function, I think of pottery as an art form. The types of pottery are so varied ranging from mesmerizing marbling to painted portrayals of all types of subject matter. That’s probably what makes it so fun to collect. It also helps that it’s relatively easy to pack when traveling.

I actually just squeezed in an unexpected flea market visit in London (our flight home was cancelled giving us two extra days, and a favorite once a month flea just happened to be going on), and lo and behold the only things I purchased were Romanian bowls to add to my growing collection.

I was so happy to get my flea market fix because I have less access to them back home. With that fresh inspiration in mind, I scoured the Internet to bring pottery to you — no passport required.

It’s incredible to think that patterns as intricate and perfect are made by hand. You can really see the skill of the maker in them. I’m very fond of Horezu pottery with finely detailed overlapping motifs — I have a couple plates on my kitchen wall and use a smaller dish to hold garlic. Ditto mochaware — I’m collecting one piece at a time starting with mugs I have on display on my espresso machine. Polka dots might be having a moment now, but they’ve been a recurring motif in pottery for ages, making them timeless.

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Swirled pottery includes everything from terre mêlée (or aptware) and agateware (or nerokami) – where the clay itself is marbled – to Romanian slipware and Jaspeware – in which the glaze is marbled. These designs are incredibly eye-catching, each one completely unique. Once you find a style you like, it’s awfully tempting to continue to hunt for others — in different colors, sizes, and of course swirls.

These special pieces portray subject matter such as flora, animals, people, often accompanied by other decorative elements. They’re so artful it feels more appropriate to hang or display them like art instead of using them. This pottery originates from native styles in Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands, Hungary, and beyond, and thus serve as a connection to those places. You can collect as a memento or merely in appreciation of the heritage.

I can’t be alone in my obsession. Fellow flea market fiends, what’s the pottery you simply can’t leave behind? Tell me in comments.

Pottery Is My Flea Market Weakness | The Edit

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