Late 20th-Century Mexican Barro Rojo (Red Clay) Earthenware Centerpiece Faux Fruit Platter - 8-Pieces

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Description

Excellent Pre-Owned Condition.

Note: Because of the weight and size of this gorgeous set, it will be packed in more … Read more Excellent Pre-Owned Condition.

Note: Because of the weight and size of this gorgeous set, it will be packed in more than one box to ensure it reaches you in excellent condition.

Take a look at this fabulous handcrafted rustic chic centerpiece faux fruit platter made from barro rojo or red clay, which is a traditional form of pottery made in the borough of San Marcos Tlapazola, in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico. In this rural Zapotec village of about 1,100 people, the 300 or so potters are all women who make pottery out of red clay gathered from high in the surrounding mountains, a tradition that has been going on for twenty generations. There the women gather the clay from the hills surrounding their mountain village, mix it with water and strain it. Afterwards it is mixed with sand and left to dry in the sun for a week. When the women have made enough pottery, they take the pottery to an enormous fire mound in a courtyard, load the mound with wood, grates, manure, pots and kindling and then light it which produces a variety of textures and finishes in the pottery. Some of the pottery is left as is, rustic and smoky looking. Other pieces (depending on its utilitarian purpose) are refined by “scraping” with a crude tool to produce a very smooth, almost glazed look-and-feel to it, typically kitchen pieces have this finish.

This rustic ensemble consists of eight pieces of assorted fruit nestled in a circular braided edge shallow platter. It’s a rather large ensemble with rich burnished earthtone hues that are typical for pottery made in the borough of San Marcos Tlapazola, in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico. Its size is indicative that the set was handcrafted to be used as a decorative accent for an expansive outdoor space as a centerpiece attraction on a dining or coffee table. This whimsically eclectic ensemble is in beautiful condition with age-appropriate wear; makers label on the underside. Handcrafted by an unknown Oaxacan artisan sometime in the 1970s to 1980s. Altogether, the set weighs between 23 to 25 lbs. and measures as follows:

Circular platter: 18” x 18” x 3½” W/D/H; interior 14” x 14” x 2½” W/D/H
Fruit: (8) pieces in varying sizes, from 7” to 8” high for the rounded-type fruit and 9½” to 10½” long for the banana and melon slice

Uniquely handcrafted with a look-and-feel that will elevate your outdoor space!

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