Heath produces some of my favorite ceramics.  They’re the perfect compromise of beauty, function, and simplicity; all are aspects that Edith Heath, Heath Ceramics’ founder had in mind when she started the company in 1948.

Her goal was to create “simple, good things for good people,” but Heath’s products have shifted from utility of the kitchen to an emblem of mid century design and Northern Californian sensibility.

However, I’m more of a magpie collector, meaning, I collect things I like, shiny, pretty things, not things with perceived cultural value. But in the case of Heath Ceramics, my obsession with their aesthetics is tied to why they’re considered an “important” manufacturer in the history of American pottery.

Regardless, they are beautiful on a table and even more impressive in a photo.  Their gentle texture and patina gives the food they hold an editorial quality that I love. They’re on the pricey side, so these are pieces that I’ve collected piecemeal, between birthdays and Christmases.  But they’re well worth the bi-annual wait, and I know they’ll last for as long as I take care of them.

View more Heath collections here.