Large Cloisonné Chinese Tea Cup: Abundance and Ritual

Description

The surface catches light differently at every angle — copper wire, enamel fill, and gilt meeting in compartments so small they demand a brush hair’s width of precision to fill.

Cloisonné enamel, known in Chinese as jǐng tài lán after the Jingtai Emperor under whose reign the technique flourished in 15th-century Beijing, is one of the most technically demanding decorative arts in the Chinese tradition. The process requires forming a metal base, soldering fine wire cloisons to create the design, filling each compartment with powdered vitreous enamel, firing repeatedly in a kiln, and polishing the surface until wire and fill sit perfectly flush. Beijing workshops have practiced the craft continuously since at least the Ming dynasty.

This tea cup is built on a copper base onto which fine metal wire is soldered to form the design outlines. Each cloison is filled with vitreous enamel, fired, refilled, and polished through multiple cycles until the surface is level and smooth. Traditional motifs associated with longevity and abundance — stylized clouds, auspicious symbols, botanical forms — cover the exterior. The interior is left plain. The cup is large format, holding a full serving of tea.

Material: copper base, vitreous enamel, gilt wire cloisons. Dimensions are not listed; contact the seller for exact height and diameter before purchase. Hand-wash only with mild soap; do not use in a microwave or dishwasher. The enamel surface is durable but may chip if struck sharply against a hard surface.

Each cup is produced individually. The piece functions as everyday teaware and as a collectible example of a living Chinese craft tradition.