Ceramic Pinecone Lamp

In Italian we call it pigna — the pinecone. It's one of the oldest decorative shapes in Southern Italian ceramics, a symbol of welcome and good fortune. Our version is a table lamp, shaped entirely by hand and glazed in a deep cobalt blue that catches the light beautifully.

The body of the lamp is made from a single piece of ceramic, with an intricate openwork pattern cut through the walls. When you switch it on, light filters through those cutouts and casts a warm, patterned glow around the room. It sits on a solid circular base, also glazed in the same deep blue. The glossy finish gives the whole piece a rich, almost jewel-like quality.

We've had these made for us by artisans in Vietri sul Mare for years. Each one takes time — the cutting has to be done while the clay is still soft enough to work but firm enough to hold its shape. It's careful work, and you can see it in the detail.

People put these in living rooms, bedrooms, on a side table by the entrance. The light they give off is soft and indirect, more about atmosphere than reading. During the day, the shape and colour hold their own even without being lit.