Handmade Stoneware Butter Bell - Made in the USA

Description

A hand thrown stoneware butter bell, made for us by Martinez Pottery in Texas. Available in blue stripe and brown stripe.

Why it’s here

There's a particular kind of satisfaction that comes from finding a piece of stoneware in an antique store. Something heavy and well-made that clearly dates back decades, used daily and none the worse for it. That's exactly what Martinez pottery feels like, except you don't have to go looking for it.

Martinez have been hand throwing stoneware in Texas for twenty-five years. They are one of the last operations in the United States that still throws ceramics by hand at scale. A small family workshop producing pieces the same way they always have, because there isn't a better way. The forms haven't changed much. They didn't need to.

We've carried their classic blue stripe glaze from the beginning, a pattern as associated with the American farmhouse kitchen as cast iron or a wooden cutting board. The brown stripe is our own, developed with Martinez to sit more quietly in a rural interior. Inspired by the earthy tones of old wood and worn plaster, it's designed not to stand out, but to belong.

What you’re getting

Cold butter straight from the refrigerator is one of those minor but persistent kitchen frustrations. It tears bread, resists spreading, and generally refuses to cooperate. The butter bell solves this quietly and elegantly, the way the best kitchen tools tend to.

The principle is simple and has been in use for centuries. Pack softened butter into the bell-shaped lid. Fill the base with a small amount of cold water. Invert the lid into the base and the water creates an airtight seal that keeps the butter fresh at room temperature for up to thirty days, without refrigeration. Soft, spreadable, and ready whenever you need it.

Pick it up and you'll notice the weight immediately. Solid and reassuring in the hand in a way that lighter ceramics simply aren't.

Look closely and you'll see the evidence of how it was made. The subtle ridges left by the potter's hands during throwing. The stripes painted by hand with a brush, each one slightly different from the last. No two pieces are exactly alike. These are not factory ceramics that happen to look handmade. They are handmade, and they look it.

A note on use

Change the water every few days to keep the seal fresh. In warmer weather, use slightly cooler water. Keep out of direct sunlight. Do not refrigerate, that rather defeats the purpose.

Sizes

Care

Oven, microwave, and dishwasher safe. Fired at 2,200 degrees, this stoneware is built to last. Like all ceramics, it doesn't appreciate sudden changes in temperature. Don't take it straight from the oven to a cold surface or run it under cold water while hot. Let it cool naturally and it will serve you well for a very long time.