Description
From 1948 – 1963 Hans Schneider (1923 – 2006) ran the pottery in Senftigen (Canton of Bern). Then, inspired by traditional folk pottery and often older, traditional motifs, he opened his own factory and produced work in an older style, but made this one at the earliest in 1963 when he opened his workshop at Steffisburg (Bern).
1945-1948 Schneider worked for Fritz Haussmann in Uster (Canton of Zurich). Hausmann was known for his fine glazes and innovative shapes. His wife Helene (1905-1989) designed some important Bauhaus ceramics. But Schneider focused on traditional folk images and drew on older traditions of artisanal craftsmanship.
This substantial pot would have been a functional and decorative part of the traditional Swiss interior throughout the year, quietly being ‘fed’ with berries and alcohol, standing in a dark corner, waiting for the winter festivities.
‘Rumtopf’ (which literally means rum pot, ) is an Austrian, German and Danish dessert of mixed fruit and alcohol traditionally eaten around Christmas. It is also made in northern Italy, especially in the valleys of Trentino. A mixture of various kinds of fruit, high-strength rum (commonly Austrian Stroh) and sugar is filled into a large stoneware pot. The pots themselves are often made specifically for the creation of rumtopf and can be quite elaborate in their decoration. The mixture is then matured for several months until the fruit is very soft and completely saturated with rum. Suitable fruit includes berries, cherries, plums and apricots. Once mature, the compote is typically served with sponge cake.
Measure: 40 x 36 cm 5,9 kg
This piece is in excellent condition and a real beauty.
