Wood fired iridescent gourd tea cup with liquid gold glaze
Wood fired iridescent gourd tea cup with liquid gold luster
Wood fired iridescent gourd tea cup with liquid gold glaze
Wood fired iridescent gourd tea cup with gold luster
Wood fired iridescent gourd tea cup with gold luster
Wood fired iridescent gourd tea cup with liquid gold glaze

Wood Fired Iridescent Gourd Tea Cup – Liquid Gold Luster Artisan Ceramic Gongfu Cup

$98.97

Encounter a heart-warming tea container, taking a sip or two of light and elegant tea in the middle of a busy schedule; between touch and vision, clearly comprehend heaven, earth and people of nature and ingenuity.

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Total price:$336.65
Description

Some teacups disappear into the shelf. This one pulls light across the room.

This is not a mass-produced Tea Cup. It is a small gourd-shaped Tea Cup made from high-fired stoneware, hand-painted with fluid iridescent glaze, and then fired bare in a wood kiln — without a protective sagger, without a box, without anything between the raw flame and the surface. Real wood ash, smoke, and heat land directly on the molten glaze. What comes out is a cup with molten gold veins, teal and violet clouds, bronze flashes, and a soft ash texture that an electric kiln simply cannot reproduce.

The shape is a calabash silhouette with a gentle waist. It holds about 60ml, which is the traditional size for gongfu tea. If you brew oolong, raw pu-erh, or black tea in short repeated steeps, this Tea Cup lets you taste each infusion while it is still warm. The waist gives your fingers a natural place to hold, and the flared lip feels smooth against the mouth.

Because the glaze is fused at high temperature, the colors do not peel, rub off, or fade with normal use. The body is dense and non-porous, so tea stains do not soak in and flavors do not carry over from one session to the next. A quick rinse is usually all it needs.

Every piece is a one-off. The fluid colors flow and collide during wood firing. No two cups share the same pattern. Think of it less like a standard teacup and more like a small oil painting formed by fire.

Specifications

  • Material: High-fired stoneware ceramic

  • Firing: Wood fired, naked flame, no sagger, direct ash and flame action

  • Capacity: 60ml / approx 2 fl oz

  • Dimensions: Length 5.6cm / 2.2in, Height 5.4cm / 2.1in

  • Finish: Iridescent liquid gold/aurora glaze

  • Shape: Gourd/calabash, hand-formed

  • Care: Hand wash recommended. Not microwave safe due to metallic glaze. Not dishwasher-safe.

What Makes This Cup Different

  • Naked wood-firing process — no sagger, direct ash and flame contact

  • Hand-painted fluid iridescent glaze with molten gold, teal, violet, and bronze tones

  • One-of-a-kind pattern; every Tea Cup is unique

  • Dense, non-porous stoneware; stain-resistant and easy to rinse

  • Lead-free, food-safe glaze fused at high temperature

  • Designed for gongfu tea, tea tasting, and daily personal use

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Frequently Asked Questions

The cup looks quite small. Is it actually usable for tea?
It is a 60ml / 2 fl oz gongfu tea cup, which is the traditional size for tasting tea in short steeps. It is not a coffee mug. If you brew tea gongfu style — using a small pot and pouring repeatedly — this size helps you taste each infusion before it gets cold. The dimensions are listed as 5.6cm length and 5.4cm height, so check the measurements before ordering if you are used to larger Western cups.
Will the iridescent gold or rainbow finish fade, peel, or wash off after a few months?
No. The colors are not a surface coating or film. The pigments are mixed into the glaze and fused into the ceramic body at high temperature in a wood kiln. Normal hand washing, tea contact, and daily use will not make the iridescent layer peel or fade. If you scrub it with steel wool or put it through a harsh dishwasher cycle, you could dull any handmade glaze, so gentle hand washing is recommended.
Why does the surface feel rough or have tiny pits and ash specks?
That is the wood-firing process. The cup is fired without a protective sagger, so real ash, flame, and small coals land on the molten glaze. These leave tiny pits, orange-peel texture, or speckled deposits that are part of the cup’s character. They are not cracks or damage. If you want a perfectly smooth, machine-made surface, this cup is not the right fit. If you want the texture of a real wood kiln, that is exactly what you are feeling.
Is this cup food-safe? I have heard some iridescent or metallic glazes contain lead.
The glazes used here are lead-free and food-safe. After firing at high temperature, the surface is inert and does not leach into tea. The metallic/iridescent effect comes from oxide reactions in the kiln, not from a painted coating. If you have a severe metal allergy or specific sensitivity, you can rinse the cup with warm water before first use, but normal tea drinking is safe.
Can I put it in the dishwasher or microwave?
Dishwasher: not recommended. The high heat, strong detergents, and rattling can wear down any handmade glaze over time. Hand washing takes a few seconds and keeps the surface intact. Microwave: not recommended because the iridescent glaze contains trace metallic oxides that can heat unevenly. This cup is for brewed tea, not for heating water or milk.
The cup I received does not look exactly like the photo. Is that a defect?
No. Every cup is hand-painted and wood-fired, so the flow of gold, teal, violet, and ash marks varies from piece to piece. Lighting also changes the iridescent effect — it can look darker indoors and more vivid in sunlight. You will receive a cup with the same shape, size, and firing style, but the pattern is your own.
Does the cup wobble on the table because it is handmade?
We hand-finish the base of each cup and check it on a flat surface before packing. Some handmade pieces can have tiny variations in the foot ring, but a visible wobble or unstable base is considered a defect. If your cup rocks noticeably, contact us for a replacement.
Does it get too hot to hold without a handle?
The cup holds only 60ml and the gourd waist gives your fingers a natural place to grip. That said, any ceramic cup will heat up when filled with near-boiling water. For very hot tea, pour, wait 20–30 seconds, and then hold the cup by the waist or rim. Most gongfu drinkers find this size cools quickly and is comfortable for repeated tastings.
Will tea stain the inside or leave a smell after strong pu-erh?
Because the stoneware is high-fired and dense, the surface is non-porous. It will not absorb tea tannins the way unglazed or low-fired clay does. A quick rinse with warm water is usually enough. If you leave tea sitting overnight, a soft sponge and mild detergent will remove any residue, and the cup will not retain the smell.