Antique French Resin Pots by Pierre Hughes for the Production of Turpentine, 1800s, Set of 5

Details

Description

A 19th Century “Les Landes” Hughes Resin pot for the production of Turpentine.

200 years ago the Les Landes area … Read more A 19th Century “Les Landes” Hughes Resin pot for the production of Turpentine.

200 years ago the Les Landes area of South West France was a low-land marshy area prone to flooding, the inhabitants used to walk from one area to the other on wooden stilts.
170 years ago the area was drained and the largest man made European pine forest was formed.
In the 19th century there were two ways to exploit the forest, one was the exploitation for its timber and the second was for its resin production. Pine resin was collected manually by “resiniers”, who cut the pine tree trunk so that it bled. Resin from the artificial wound was just allowed to fall onto a piece of old sacking or straw. The resin collected this way was dirty and difficult to handle.

In 1836, Pierre Hughes had the idea of using a small earthenware pot, like a flowerpot to collect the resin. Mr Hughes pots were so successful he took out a patent on them in 1844. All the pots are glazed in the interior with no two glazes alike, each piece is unique.
In the mid 1800s the vast majority of the worlds resin production was from the vast forests in North America but something was about to happen that changed all of that.
In 1861 the Northern and the Southern States of America were at war.
Resin production in the States came to a standstill. As can be imagined the Landes resin industry suddenly became the worlds leading resin producer. Mr Hughes had just started producing his pots in time.
The raw resin had little commercial use, but it was then distilled to produce two very much sought after products, turpentine and rosin.

These are fine pieces of historic French pottery for your home or garden. Real historic conversation pieces.

Details approx:
Height : 4.33” (11cm) Width: Top 5.51” (14cm) Base 2.36” (6cm)
Weight: 70gr
Colour: Terracotta exterior not glazed.
Yellow, Green, Brown glazes on the interior.
Place of origin: Les Landes, South West France.

Condition: Slight chips consistent with age and rough usage, invariably traces of resin on interior.
Please note the price quoted is for a set of five pots. This piece is attributed to the mentioned designer/maker. It has no attribution mark and no
official proof of authenticity,
however it is well documented in design history. I take full responsibility for any authenticity



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