Globular Melard with Spout – 18th Century – Puy de Dôme – [PA088]
Presenting a splendid mélard originating from an Auvergne pottery centre in the 18th century. It was suspended in a pantry for the convenient pouring of precious walnut oil, commonly used for lighting during that era.

![Globular Melard with Spout – 18th Century – Puy de Dôme – [PA088] This globular mélard with pinched spout, an intermediary size between the large mélard and the oil jug, was meant to be suspended. Its base is rounded for this purpose, to ensure the attachment of a rope without sharp angles. The rope passing under the bottom was held from bottom to top against the pottery's belly by another transverse rope passing under the specially flared neck. The whole was suspended from a beam resembling a joist. This mélard is covered with a green glaze and a lead cover, two finishes intended to provide it with brilliance and waterproofing. Its decoration consists of finger-molded bands. The facade is adorned with a cross motif placed under the pinched spout. This reduced spout allowed for a faster, smoother flow.](https://www.aux-rois-louis.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/PA088_P1680256-600x600.webp)
![Studded Travel Trunk – 18th Century – China – [ME126] This studded travel trunk originates from the mountainous region of Hubei, also known as the Province of a Thousand Lakes, situated in central China. The ochre and green hues that surface are original. Upon closer inspection of the facade, vertical inscriptions in Chinese characters can be discerned. The rings are loops for the ropes that allowed this travel trunk to be carried through the rugged mountains of Hubei, either by man or mule. The studded iron fittings reinforcing its corners enabled it to withstand shocks and reach us in a beautiful state of preservation.](https://www.aux-rois-louis.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/ME126_P1680293-600x600.webp)
![Monoxyl Poplar Barrel – 19th Century – South West – [MP055] This type of barrel was dedicated to storing and maturing brandy produced on the estate, often from prunes in the South West. Its particularity lies in being monoxyl, meaning it was carved from a single trunk of poplar. This trunk was still green, allowing the two rounded bottoms, put in place during fabrication, to be completely trapped in the groove as the wood naturally dried. An ingenious process ensuring the barrel's watertightness and preserving its precious beverage.](https://www.aux-rois-louis.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/MP055_P1680234-600x600.webp)