antique vessel lamp - Shandong #16

This lamp begins with a humble, sturdy vessel from China’s Shandong province, its history still present in the surface of the clay. A rustic stoneware pot from the 1940s, once used to store water or food — an everyday object that has gained a gentle dignity through time.

On the front, a hand-painted Chinese character appears: 粗米 – “coarse rice.” A simple, practical marking from earlier days, telling us exactly what the vessel once held. Today, it rests on the clay like a small reminder of a quieter life, preserved through use and age.

Paired with a handcrafted lampshade made from fine Belgian linen, the old pot becomes a warm lighting piece that brings together history, craftsmanship, and timeless beauty.

• origin: Shandong, China
• period: circa 1940
• material: fired clay (earthenware),
  handcrafted quality linen from Belgium
• original use: storage of water and vegetable oil
  
• pot: h 30cm, dia 32cm
• shade: 60/27/32cm (dia bottom, top and height)