Clay Service Cup

Description from Design Within Reach

To create their Clay Service (2009), Lonny van Ryswyck and Nadine Sterk began digging up clay from different locations throughout the Netherlands. They then shaped and baked the clay to study the agricultural nuances of each region. “A bucket filled with earth is anonymous,” explains Sterk, “but the stories of the farmer who works the earth lend it its identity.” Keeping the symbiosis between object and origin was key to this project, and the colors reflect individual differences they found in the composition of the clays. “We wanted to make tableware so that the vegetables prepared for dinner could be served from vessels made from the same soil the vegetables came out of,” explains van Ryswyck. Clay Service was launched by Royal Tichelaar Makkum at Salone del Mobile in 2009. Atelier NL was a 2009 finalist for the Rado Young Designer award, singled out by the jury for showing that research is an essential part of the design process. Clay Service is dishwasher safe. Made in the Netherlands.

• Each piece is stamped with a geo-code to match the plot from where the soil was unearthed.
• No two pieces are exactly the same (each one is perfectly imperfect). Inconsistencies in size, finish and color reveal the legacy behind each piece and are to be expected.