The BON TON Guide
How Astier de Villatte ceramics are made, why every piece is different, and how to choose, collect, use, and care for the unmistakable white pottery handmade in Paris.
Parisian ceramics with a human hand
Why are Astier de Villatte ceramics so special?
Astier de Villatte ceramics are immediately recognisable: luminous white glaze, delicate silhouettes, softened ornament, and glimpses of dark clay appearing at the rim, foot, or raised detail. They can resemble porcelain from a distance, yet their beauty is earthier, more personal, and less exact.
The company was founded in Paris in 1996 by Benoît Astier de Villatte and Ivan Pericoli, together with members of the Astier de Villatte family and friends from the École des Beaux-Arts. Their work draws from the history of decorative arts, popular arts, and objects that have been overlooked or forgotten.
Rather than reproduce eighteenth-century ceramics precisely, Astier de Villatte reanimates their spirit. Historic forms are pressed, modelled, altered, glazed, and made useful again. A plate may have a scalloped rim that refuses perfect symmetry. A candlestick may lean almost imperceptibly. A handle may retain the pressure and judgement of the person who shaped it.
Those variations are not defects. They are the visible evidence that an individual artisan made the piece in Paris. Every ceramic is stamped with the Astier de Villatte monogram and the initials of the artisan who crafted it.
Black earth beneath white glaze
How Astier de Villatte ceramics are made
Astier de Villatte maintains an artisanal ceramics workshop in Paris that continues and modernises the traditions of eighteenth-century Parisian manufactures. The house is particularly associated with the art of stamping, in which clay is pressed into moulds before being finished by hand.
The dark terracotta body gives each piece its distinctive graphic depth. A milky white glaze settles over the clay but does not disguise it completely. Black or charcoal tones remain visible along edges, relief, incised lines, and places where the glaze naturally thins.
Because shaping, finishing, glazing, and firing all introduce variation, two examples of the same form will never be perfectly identical. The object carries a family resemblance, not machine-made uniformity.
What makes each piece individual
The beautiful irregularities of handmade pottery
Shape
Subtle differences in profile, curve, and proportion show where the clay has been pressed, joined, or finished by hand.
Glaze
The white glaze can vary in translucency and coverage, revealing more or less of the dark terracotta beneath.
Surface
Small ripples, marks, and softened relief belong to the material and the making process rather than industrial perfection.
Signature
The house monogram and artisan’s initials identify the workshop and acknowledge the individual maker.
A simple place to begin
Choosing your first Astier de Villatte piece
There is no need to begin with a full service. Astier de Villatte is especially rewarding when collected piece by piece. Start with an object that will enter your daily life, then allow different forms and patterns to accumulate naturally.
The easiest beginning
A small dish
Useful for salt, olives, jewellery, matches, or a bedside table. A small dish introduces the material and glaze without requiring a larger commitment.
For everyday ritual
A cup or mug
A tactile choice that makes the handmade character immediately present. Look for a handle and scale that feel natural in your hand.
For the table
A plate or platter
Begin with a serving piece or a favourite plate rather than a complete matching set. Astier looks particularly beautiful beside antique silver and linen.
For candlelight
A candlestick
The white glaze catches changing light beautifully. A single sculptural candlestick can hold its own, while mixed heights create an informal collection.
For flowers
A vase
Astier vases move easily between utility and sculpture. Their pale surfaces suit exuberant arrangements, a single branch, or display without flowers.
For a collector
A character piece
Animal forms, architectural shapes, ring cups, incense burners, and artist collaborations show the more playful side of the house.
Collected rather than matched
How to live with Astier de Villatte
Astier ceramics are remarkably easy to mix because the white glaze creates continuity between very different forms. A restrained eighteenth-century plate can sit beside a fanciful animal cup, a severe classical vase, or a piece decorated by John Derian.
For the table, vary the edges and relief while keeping a shared scale. For shelves, mix useful objects with sculpture and leave enough space for each silhouette to be seen. On a mantel, combine white ceramic candlesticks with antique brass, dark wood, mirrored glass, or coloured taper candles.
The aim is not perfect coordination. It is a collection that feels assembled over time, with each object chosen because it is useful, beautiful, amusing, or difficult to forget.
A creative house with many rooms
Beyond white ceramics
Artist collaborations
Astier de Villatte’s white clay forms have become a canvas for artists and designers, including John Derian, whose imagery brings botanical studies, insects, animals, and fragments of historic ephemera into the ceramic collection. Other collaborations extend the house’s world through drawing, ornament, and unexpected character.
Candles, incense & perfume
The perfume workshop develops colognes, incense, skincare, and scented candles with exceptional perfumers. Its candle collection travels through places by scent, while the incense combines fragrance with an imaginative assortment of ceramic burners.
Letterpress & publishing
Astier de Villatte also operates a letterpress printing plant at l’Haÿ-les-Roses, one of the last in the world still printing books with lead type. Its publishing work includes Ma Vie à Paris, an unconventional guide to the city, as well as artist books and carefully produced paper goods.
A complete decorative world
These activities may seem varied, but they share a sensibility: a fascination with historic craft, overlooked techniques, useful objects, and the possibility of making the past feel vivid in contemporary life.
Protecting handmade ceramics
How to care for Astier de Villatte ceramics
01. Wash gently
For the most conservative care, wash by hand with warm water, mild soap, and a soft cloth or sponge, especially for sculptural and delicate forms.
02. Avoid shock
Do not move a cold ceramic directly into very hot water or expose it to sudden temperature changes. Thermal shock can damage handmade pottery.
03. Stack lightly
Avoid tightly stacking pieces with raised relief or irregular rims. A soft separator can protect glazed surfaces during storage.
04. Use with care
Treat thin handles, stems, applied ornament, and projecting details as you would any individually made decorative object.
Astier de Villatte in Scandinavia
Discover Astier de Villatte at BON TON goods
BON TON goods presents the largest selection of Astier de Villatte in Scandinavia. Our Malmö shop brings together handmade Paris ceramics, candlesticks, artist collaborations, incense, candles, perfume, paper goods, and distinctive pieces for the table and home.
Because each ceramic is handmade and each delivery contains its own variations, choosing Astier in person can be especially rewarding. For those visiting from elsewhere, our online collection offers access to in-stock pieces and carefully planned pre-orders, with international shipping available.
Whether you begin with one small dish or assemble a complete table over many years, Astier de Villatte rewards attention. The longer the pieces are lived with, the more their irregularity comes to feel like the point.
Astier de Villatte questions
Frequently asked questions
Where is Astier de Villatte made?
Astier de Villatte ceramics are handmade in the company’s artisanal workshop in Paris. Each piece is stamped with the house monogram and the initials of the artisan who crafted it.
Why does black clay show through the white glaze?
The dark terracotta body is covered with a luminous white glaze that naturally becomes thinner along rims, relief, and incised details. The resulting contrast is one of the defining characteristics of Astier de Villatte ceramics.
Are variations in Astier de Villatte ceramics normal?
Yes. Differences in shape, glaze coverage, surface, and detail are expected in ceramics formed and finished by hand. No two examples are perfectly identical.
What should I buy as my first Astier de Villatte piece?
A small dish, cup, mug, favourite plate, or single candlestick is an excellent beginning. Choose an object you will use regularly rather than trying to create a complete matching collection immediately.
How should Astier de Villatte ceramics be cleaned?
For cautious long-term care, hand wash with warm water, mild soap, and a soft cloth or sponge. Avoid abrasive cleaners, sudden temperature changes, and pressure on thin handles or applied ornament.
Where can I buy Astier de Villatte in Scandinavia?
BON TON goods in Malmö presents the largest Astier de Villatte selection in Scandinavia, with ceramics, scented objects, paper goods, in-stock pieces, and selected pre-orders available in the shop and online.
Made by hand in Paris
Begin an Astier de Villatte collection
Explore handmade ceramics and the wider Astier de Villatte world at BON TON goods.