Jean Loiseau founded Bourg-Joly Malicorne in 1747 in the heart of the Sarthe Valley, France, making it the oldest earthenware manufacturer in the region. Over time, its savoir-fare has been handed through the generations, resulting in centuries-old processes that craftspeople continue to honour today. Their earthenware is made from a precise recipe – clay, sand and minerals – that undergoes a meticulous purifying process. Each piece is calibrated, moulded, turned, trimmed, glazed and fired (twice) to extreme temperatures. Look out for lace-inspired openwork applied with a scalpel and free-hand painting with a watercolour quality.