ReCinder x Shem Morgan - Storage vessel RC-01-1A

The Storage Vessel with Crown reimagines the ancient amphora form in ReCinder, drawing closely on Roman ceramic sherds dating approximately from AD 40–150 and discovered in Highgate Wood. Handmade by London-based sculptor and ceramicist Shem Morgan, the vessel translates historical characteristics – including its narrow base, broad shoulder, thinly thrown body and unglazed surface – into a distinctly contemporary object. Its deliberately jagged, crown-like rim echoes the broken sherds that informed the collection. The exterior is burnished by hand using a smooth river stone, compressing and smoothing the surface while preserving ReCinder’s distinctive sandstone-like character. Natural inclusions revealed during making leave small cavities and variations reminiscent of weathered stone, making each vessel individual and inherently collectable. Single-fired and left unglazed, the vessel eliminates the second firing conventionally required for glazed ceramics. Instead, it is saturated with beeswax to seal the ceramic body while allowing the texture, inclusions and character of ReCinder to remain exposed. Part of The Highgate Collection, the vessel is made in Highgate from ReCinder produced using ceramic waste sourced from London studios – connecting an ancient language of local ceramic production with a contemporary reclaimed resource.