Avanay

Some things are rare by decision.
This is rare by geography.

Paddled against a river stone. Fired in algarrobo at 700 °C. Smoked in mango leaf.

2006

The third protected denomination of origin granted in Peru covers the ceramics of Chulucanas.

700–900 °C

Adobe kiln, algarrobo. Reduction in mango leaf, two to three times.

One valley

Tallán paddling and the Vicús negative, together. Not a style — a place.

The Serie · made to order

Arco, H 52 cm.

Arco

The tallest of the four. A single arc rises clear of the body and closes on nothing.

DimensionsH 52 cm
FormingPaddled, burnished with river stone
FiringAlgarrobo, 700–900 °C
ReductionMango leaf
WorkshopChulucanas
Lead time6–8 weeks
PriceUS$ 1,800
The file
Puente, H 42 cm.

Puente

Two uprights, one span. The void is held between straight lines rather than under a curve.

DimensionsH 42 cm
FormingPaddled, burnished with river stone
FiringAlgarrobo, 700–900 °C
ReductionMango leaf
WorkshopChulucanas
Lead time6–8 weeks
PriceUS$ 1,400
The file
Umbral, H 34 × W 42 cm.

Umbral

The only one that reads horizontally. Made to be seen from above.

DimensionsH 34 × W 42 cm
FormingPaddled, burnished with river stone
FiringAlgarrobo, 700–900 °C
ReductionMango leaf
WorkshopChulucanas
Lead time6–8 weeks
PriceUS$ 1,250
The file
Paso, H 30 cm.

Paso

The void passes through the body instead of crowning it.

DimensionsH 30 cm
FormingPaddled, burnished with river stone
FiringAlgarrobo, 700–900 °C
ReductionMango leaf
WorkshopChulucanas
Lead time6–8 weeks
PriceUS$ 850
The file

The making

Clay is dug from a quarry outside Chulucanas. A paddle of wood works it against a river stone held inside the vessel, and the wall grows thin under the rhythm. Slip is laid over the parts that must stay pale. Then the piece goes into an adobe kiln, into mango-leaf smoke, and the smoke takes everything left uncovered.

01Wooden paddle and river stone on cloth
02Freshly kneaded clay, worked by foot on a cloth
03Two hands raising the wall of a vessel from the base, no wheel
04A wooden paddle against the wall, a river stone held inside
05A stone burnishing the surface of a leather-hard vessel
06White slip brushed over the parts that must stay pale
07Dry leaves smouldering; the smoke that blackens the clay
08Where the pale surface meets the smoke-black
The mouth of the adobe kiln, Chulucanas

The document

The second body of the piece.

A5 cotton rag, letterpress in one colour, piece number in graphite, a dry seal struck across it so the two cannot be separated.

A QR resolves to a page for that single piece: the photographic record of its own making, its firing dates, its workshop. Not a marketing page — a file.

Enquire about a piece

Pieces are made to order in Chulucanas.

Tell us which one, and where it will live.

For the trade

Specification sheets, lead times and trade terms.

For designers, architects and hospitality.