Olive Bird Small Flower Holder

A softly gourd-shaped vessel in a reactive glaze — sage and teal pooling in the recesses, breaking rust-terracotta wherever the form rises.

The body is ribbed with short vertical strokes low down, and pierced with almond openings around the shoulder to let smoke through. A small bird sits on the top, plainly modelled, facing out. Raw clay shows at the foot, warm against all that cool green.

Made for incense, though the pierced top works for stems too, and it holds its own as a closed form on a shelf.

Key details: Glazed ceramic with reactive sage-and-rust glaze, pierced top and bird finial. Unglazed clay foot.