Antique Red Clay Ornately Carved Bottle | Unique Hand Crafted Design | Asian Oil Bottle | Global Decor | Bixley Shop

Sometimes we see items that just call to us without us understanding what they are or why we are drawn to them. This bottle was irresistible in that way. Then comes the job of figuring out what it is and telling the story to you. Here's where we encountered some difficulty. At first we thought it was antique cinnabar, but very quickly we realized that it is, in fact, red clay. Classic cinnabar is actually lacquered wood with a red color made from powdered cinnabar stone. There are some pieces that are carved out of cinnabar stone.

This piece is clearly thrown red clay with hand carved details. Based on the design, we believe it to be South Asian, perhaps Indian. The stopper is hollow with a pouring spout at the top, so we think it may have been an oil bottle, but we can't be sure. Even doing an image search, we were unable to find anything quite like this. The stopper is cracked on the inside edge and the wax seal is mostly gone, so it can't be used as a pouring bottle.

It is a unique item, perfect for anyone who loves exotically beautiful things

BIXLEY NOTES
• Antique Red Clay Oil Bottle
• Holds 6 ounces of fluid
• Measures approx 8" tall and 3.5" in diameter (at widest)

VINTAGE NOTES
• In good condition
• Stopper is chipped on inside and there are three small chips on the bottom rim and bottom of bottle (see pictures)

At Bixley, forgotten treasures are looking for a home to call their own. We love the "as is" quality of vintage pieces and hope you do too. Please read our description carefully and take a good look at our photos. We'll do our best to point out any of the bumps and bruises of age. 

Browse for more great vintage finds here on Bixley or at Bixley on Etsy.