Handmade gold and white cheapest porcelain vase

This beautiful handmade white porcelain vase with gold stars is just lovely. Like something out of a fairytale or the Arabian Nights this has been totally handcrafted.

First of all it was thrown on a potter's wheel in fine white porcelain. Porcelain is the most difficult clay to use as well as the most expensive, but it is also the smoothest and whitest, and the only clay that you can throw that is translucent, so it is well worth all the heartache of making. It has long been held to be the finest and most exclusive clay, originating in China.

Anyway after this pot was thrown, it dries out and goes for its first firing, called the bisque firing. this is not the hottest firing, and basically just makes the clay firm to handle so that it can be glazed more easily. When I came to glaze it, I knew that I wanted it to have the gold stars, which are done in a third firing, but the gold lustre will only sit nicely on top of a smooth glaze, so I had to apply some glaze to the outside where I wanted the stars to go. I then went for its second firing, the glaze firing. This is where the clay undergoes its real chemical changes and stops being clay and becomes ceramic. It is a brutal process, with temperatures similar to those found inside a volcano at 1250*C.

After the glaze firing I painted the gold stars on cheapest with a gold lustre, which is 22ct gold, which gives a nice bright gold. Because gold is so soft, this is the lowest temperature firing of the 3, so the gold does not burn off at 800*C

It is slightly chunky at the bottom, to stop it being vulnerable to being knocked over. It stands 12cm (4.5inches) tall.

I think this is intensely bridal with the white and gold colouring, perfect as a wedding gift, or a present to the chief bridesmaid.


Because the gold lustre is delicate this pot cannot go in the dishwasher, or have abrasive materials used on it, or the gold will be damaged. It can be rinsed in lukewarm water