Spring Snowflake Jingdezhen Porcelain Teacup

Are you a tea lover seeking to elevate your tea experience? Tired of using ordinary mugs? We’ve all been there! If you're seeking to elevate your tea-drinking experience with a touch of nature's tranquility, look no further.

Introducing Spring Snowflake, our latest creation designed for tea enthusiasts. The Spring Snowflake is a handmade Kaolin porcelain cup featuring delicate crystalline patterns for the ultimate tea-drinking experience.

At Sol-Bird Designs, we seek to achieve the perfect balance of aesthetics and practicality by bringing nature into our daily lives - simply and elegantly.

Our teacup was inspired by the eternal beauty of nature. Silent, soft, and slow, the early spring snowflakes descend, twirling gently from the sky and whispering untold tales as they fall through the tea mountains. Each unique crystal becomes a water droplet on the tea leaves.

When you drink tea with our Spring Snowflake Porcelain Cup, you can taste the distinct flavor of tea leaves nourished by snow water, as if you are amidst the tea mountains. This cup captures the essence of natural beauty and offers a truly unique tea-drinking experience.

Like ice and jade, the beautiful crystalline glaze is translucent and flawless, giving the effect of pure jade. The kiln-transformed crystalline texture forms naturally with distinct layers. These special "snowflake-like crystals" on the surface of the piece are born in the kiln, crystallizing during the complicated melting and cooling process. 

The teacup features elegant curves, a thin yet sturdy body, and a crystalline texture.

Crystalline Glazing (belongs to Transmutation glazing like our Autumn Stream Silver-lined Teacup), an amazing centuries-old porcelain firing technique, achieves unique, natural, and beautiful texture under high temperatures. Each teacup is different and unique because the texture is formed naturally.

Each teacup comes with a matching coaster, with the center ring perfectly fitting the teacup base.

The process of brewing and enjoying tea with carefully chosen teacups can create a sense of tranquility and mindfulness.

Healthy, happy, and relaxed with every single sip. A warm cup of tea will always be there to jump-start your morning or calm down your afternoon.

How it is made

Our factory is in Jingdezhen. Jingdezhen has been the center of fine porcelain art, crafting, innovation, and production in China since 557 AD. China’s most skilled porcelain and pottery masters have perfected their craft in Jingdezhen for the last 1000 years and continue to today. ​

We used white Kaolin Clay, the essential and distinguishing ingredient of Jingdezhen porcelain, to produce Spring Snowflake. Kaolin clay’s high fusion temperature and white burning characteristics make it particularly suitable for the manufacture of porcelain.

Each teacup undergoes a meticulous process, including shaping on a wheel, drying, rough trimming, bisque firing at 800°C, fine trimming, glazing, drying, and final kiln firing. Bisque firing removes moisture and sinters the body to a certain hardness, making it easier to glaze and reducing the breakage rate. The practice of bisque firing dates back to the Song Dynasty.

After glazing, the teacups are fired at around 1380°C for about 15 hours, allowing the crystalline glaze to form layer by layer on the body. The process is highly complex, requiring time, patience, and a strong heart to face potential failures.

Firing is the critical step, demanding precise control of extremely high temperatures. Achieving the perfect melting and fusion of multiple layers of crystals requires extensive experimentation and refinement through numerous firings.

Crystalline Glaze

During the firing process, the glaze contains a sufficient amount of crystalline substances. High temperatures melt the glaze, allowing it to flow. As the temperature is slowly reduced, crystal nuclei form. Crystallization and crystal growth occur just below the peak temperature, in a softened state. Maintaining the temperature at an appropriate point for a certain period is crucial for crystal formation.

Entering the kiln in a single color, exiting in myriad hues. The thickness and position of the glaze, the body color, the firing temperature, and the firing and cooling times all need to be meticulously designed. These factors affect the density, size, position, and color of the crystals.

The yield rate is less than 50%.

Specifications

Teacup size ：Diameter: 5cm    High: 4.8cm    Capacity: 70ml

Why Teacups?

This is the 11th teacup we have introduced to our Indiegogo community. Teacups play a crucial role in tea culture, serving not only as practical tools for brewing and drinking tea but also as symbols of artistic expression, cultural heritage, and emotional connection.

Functional Importance

The primary function of a teacup is to facilitate the brewing and consumption of tea. Different materials and designs can significantly influence the taste, aroma, and temperature of the tea. Porcelain teacups are Ideal for showcasing the color of the tea infusion, and the unique glaze adds a visual element to the tea experience.

Aesthetic Value

Teacup is often considered an art form. The craftsmanship involved in creating tea utensils can be exquisite, with intricate designs and decorations. Jingdezhen porcelain is renowned for its delicate patterns and vibrant glazes.

Cultural Significance

Teacup carries rich cultural significance. In China, the development of teacup can be traced back thousands of years to the Tang and Song dynasties. The evolution of teacups is closely intertwined with the history and practices of tea culture. Each type of teacup reflects the artistic and cultural values of its time and place.

Emotional Connection

The use of teacups adds an emotional dimension to tea drinking. The process of brewing and enjoying tea with carefully chosen utensils can create a sense of tranquility and mindfulness. The tactile sensation of holding a well-crafted teacup can enhance the overall tea experience, fostering a deeper connection between the individual and the tea.