THOUGH THEY’RE WHITE as the driven snow, Astier de Villatte ceramics are actually made with a black terracotta — which gives them their signature earthy sumptuousness — and then glazed the color of chalk. Handmade in Paris by the most skilled Tibetan artisans, the company’s offerings are inspired by eighteenth- and nineteenth-century design, and include everything from star-shaped dessert plates to candlesticks in the form of birds. These simple white vases are truly timeless, appearing both ancient Hellenistic and alluringly contemporary.

Astier de Villatte was founded by Benoît Astier de Villatte and Ivan Pericoli in 1996, and it is operated out of a workshop that used to belong to Napoleon’s silversmith. You might know the pair best from their wildly popular incense sticks, which feature scents such as dried hay, myrrh, and “white flowers carried on the warm breeze.” Their offerings also include candles, fragrances, and even — somewhat improbably — dish soap. But their company’s foundation will always be these tactile terracotta ceramics, which transform everyday butter dishes, cake stands, soup plates, and, of course, long white vases, into objects of great meaning and feeling.