"Crimson Pool" Multi-Color Wood-Fired Kiln Glaze Gaiwan and Cups

These distinctive gaiwan and tea cups are finished with a richly varied kiln glaze that combines soft ivory, celadon green, deep blue, and a striking wine-red interior. The colors flow naturally across each piece, creating a layered surface that feels both refined and spontaneous.

The gaiwan is especially eye-catching. Its lid moves from a deep oxblood-red center into turquoise-green and pale cream, while the body shows softer transitions of blue-green, ivory, and warm yellow tones. The matching saucer adds another layer of contrast, with areas of saturated cobalt blue alongside more muted earth and celadon colors.

The cups share the same glaze family but each develops its own pattern. Their exteriors range from creamy ivory to blue-green and soft slate blue, while the interiors are coated in a deep glossy burgundy-red glaze that creates a dramatic contrast with the lighter exterior. Filled with tea, the dark interior gives the liquor a warm, jewel-like appearance.

Because these pieces are kiln-fired, the glaze develops differently from one piece to the next. Variations in color placement, flowing glaze, spotting, and transitions between tones are part of the firing process and make every gaiwan and cup unique. No two pieces will have exactly the same arrangement of colors.

The shapes are simple and practical for everyday gongfu brewing. The gaiwan has a comfortable flared rim and balanced lid, while the cups have a gently tapered profile that sits naturally in the hand.

Gaiwan

Capacity: 100 ml

The 100 ml size is ideal for concentrated gongfu sessions and makes it easy to brew smaller quantities of high-quality tea while maintaining a high leaf-to-water ratio.

Tea Cup

Capacity: 90 ml

The relatively generous 90 ml cup works equally well as a personal tasting cup or as a larger gongfu cup for those who prefer fewer pours.

About the Glaze

The visual character of this series comes from the interaction of multiple glazes during kiln firing. Differences in glaze thickness, heat, atmosphere, and position inside the kiln cause the colors to flow, pool, and change tone across the surface.

The resulting transitions—from ivory and pale green to blue, turquoise, and deep red—are formed during firing rather than painted onto the finished ware. Small spots, streaks, pooling, and irregular boundaries between colors are therefore natural characteristics of the process rather than defects.

This unpredictability is a major part of the appeal: each firing produces pieces with their own individual landscape of color.

In Summary

• Style: Kiln-glazed gongfu teaware
  
• Origin: Jingdezhen, China
• Available Pieces: Gaiwan and tea cups
  
• Gaiwan Capacity: 100 ml (+/- 10ml)
  
• Cup Capacity: 90 ml (+/- 10ml)
  
• Glaze: Multi-tone kiln glaze
  
• Colors: Ivory, celadon green, turquoise, blue, and deep wine red
  
• Character: Highly varied, glossy, and individually unique
  
• Use: Gongfu tea brewing

Each piece will vary somewhat from the photographs due to the natural behavior of the glaze during firing.