The French have had a long love affair with hot chocolate. With its introduction to France in the 17th century, people could not drink enough of it. The earliest hot chocolate pots or chocolatières were made of silver and only for the wealthy. With the introduction of cocoa powder in the early 19th century, a new hot cocoa beverage made from the powder and milk with a bit of sugar became readily available to ordinary individuals. A new simple and less expensive vessel was made for serving the drink. You can always tell if a pitcher is meant for hot chocolate if it has a side handle. These pieces were used primarily for breakfast, serving hot cocoa alongside coffee.

I have two chocolate pots available. Each has a beautiful, dark brown glaze finish. The patina makes it clear that both are early pieces but with so more function left in them. Expect imperfections in the glaze but understand that it only adds to their beauty. There are no chips or cracks. This one is a wee bit newer dating from the early 20th century. It is a perfect size for 3-4. Use them to serve milk at your table. Hold flowers on your desk. Or add to your collection of rustic French clay pottery. These pieces don’t come around often so I buy them when I can. This one came from a wonderful brocante I stumbled upon with Tim when we were in Burgundy this year. I thought they might be a favorite with you.

5 inches tall

Roughly 4 inches in diameter