Handmade Ceramic Teaware Set by Minna Graham — Iron

This handmade ceramic teaware set by Minna Graham features one spouted pitcher, four teacups, and a large tea boat. Each piece comes in the same dark, iron black glaze with a satin finish and has unique reduction effects throughout as a result of Minna's firing technique. 

The spouted pitcher or fairness cup (公道杯 gōngdào bēi) comes in a dark iron glaze and has a satin finish. Its inner and outer walls share the same dark iron black glaze giving this piece a stark elegance. This pitcher has a subtly flared profile that rises from a pentagonal base. The pitcher spout is perpendicular to the body and sits at a slightly downturned angle to aid in smooth pouring. It features Minna Graham’s signature artist stamp on the outer wall toward the pitcher's base. 

These four teacups sit atop a short, raised foot and have a tall and cylindrical profile. They have a hand carved faceted exterior that's finished the same rich, iron black glaze as the pitcher. The teacups' interior glaze ranges from icy blue to muted freshwater green and features with vivid cerulean blue streaks and reduction spotting throughout. The interior base of each teacup features a uniquely vitrified, superficial cracking pattern (known as 'crazing') that's texturally reminiscent of a frozen lake. Each teacup has its own unique finish with subtle variance in shape, texture, and tone owing to Minna’s gas-fired kiln.

The matching tea boat has a slight raised profile and features the same iron black glazing on the exterior and inner rim. It has a soft, upwardly curving lip that makes it an ideal surface for holding any spilled tea when brewing and pouring for multiple drinkers. The tea boat features three subtle, hand carved dimple-like folds spaced evenly around the lip exterior, giving this piece a gentle fluidity that contrasts nicely against its stark iron glaze and grounding weightiness. The plate's interior glaze has a complex greenish-blue 'freshwater' glaze with beetroot red-purple blushing and deep lapis lazuli blue and burnished copper accenting around the interior rim. 

The pitcher has a capacity of approximately 140ml. 

The four teacups have an average capacity of 40ml. 

Pictures by Pingle Pictures.