Vintage Ceramic Watermelon Basket Bowl

This item is a decorative hand-painted ceramic basket-style bowl designed to resemble a sliced watermelon. The piece features a vibrant color palette, including a lime-green exterior rind, a white zig-zag 'pith' border along the rim, and a saturated pinkish-red interior representing the fruit's pulp. A prominent feature is the series of raised, black-painted seeds scattered across the interior walls, adding a 3D textural element. The fixed handle is finished in a similar green glaze, suggesting the look of a vine or the melon's outer skin. The bowl is oval-shaped with a jagged, sawtooth rim that mimics a hand-carved fruit tray. In terms of condition, there are visible surface imperfections including crazing in the glaze, which is a common indicator of age in ceramic pieces. Small manufacturing defects, such as uneven glaze application (visible on the handle and rim) and minor potting irregularities, suggest a mass-market production rather than artisanal studio pottery. There are no large chips or cracks visible in the primary view, though the glaze appears thin on the sharp points of the rim. This style is characteristic of novelty kitchenware from the mid-to-late 20th century, likely the 1970s or 1980s, when 'fruit-ware' was a popular kitchen decor trend.