What can this be?

Nice pot, don't recognise. It would be helpful to show the bottom of the pot, always the first place potters or for that matter dealers or collectors look :o) Annemarie

Looks to me like either latin or old french:

Si = If or Yes Dy = ??? (perhaps it's D.Y.) Pomis = Fruit or Apple S = ???

snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com wrote:

Probably Latin:

Sy Di = extract of, syrup Pomis = apple S = ?

Perhaps it was for apple sauce or cider??

Ken Lipworth

the DY looks to me like a DV which would be a DU in that kind of writing. SI DU POMIS S Sirup of apple? what the S stands for, i don't know. The pot looks to me italien, Fayenza? From a pharmacy? What does it say on the bottom? Clean the bottom gently with an old toothbrush and see what it says. I'll ask my friend, a pharmacist.

Monika

-- Monika Schleidt snipped-for-privacy@schleidt.org

Just looked at it again and talked to my pharmacist friend: it says

SY DI POMIS S

look at it again, which definitely means "Syrup of apple", in early italian or so, what the S means, she doesn't know either. Check the botton and, send the picture to the Smithsonian Institution, they might be able to tell you where it is from. My gues is an italian apothecary jar.

Monika

I will clean it.. I was afraid to because I don't know if it would hurt it. I will let you know! Thanks

Thank you. This seems to be where everyone is going. I think the spout was formed for sider and sauce. We'll see.

I will try to get the bottom, however, it has years of lime or some deposit on it. I will look into how to clean it up. Thanks

You *might* consider a weak acid, such as undiluted white vinegar to dissolve the deposit. Another option is soaking in a solution made from a denture cleaning tablet or two dissolved in water.

I would probably NOT soak the whole piece because cleaning it too much will take away some of its character and charm.

Presumably the base is hollowed out a bit. If so, just support the jug upside down and fill the base with the solution.

Probably better than trying to chip off an adherent deposit.

Ken Lipworth Sydney

Will do today. Thanks for the advice.