Autumn on the Wheel — Shino Wood-Fired Tea Mug

Autumn on the Wheel

This mug is a quiet functional artwork — one that reveals its full beauty slowly, the way a good cup of tea does. At first glance it appears almost understated: a generous, round body glazed in warm white Shino, scattered with iron-brown, ochre, dusty pink, and olive-green speckles that drift across the surface like autumn leaves on still water. A deep brown band at the rim anchors the composition with quiet authority. Then you look inside — and the wheel speaks.

Glaze & Surface

The exterior is a warm, luminous field of white Shino glaze, richly speckled with iron-brown, terracotta, soft pink, and olive-green — the marks of wood ash and flame settling on the surface during the long firing. The glaze is smooth and slightly glossy, with a warmth and depth that invites touch. The rim is glazed in a deep, rich brown — smooth, refined, and deeply contrasting with the speckled white body. The handle is small and hand-formed, covered in the same deep brown glaze, speckled with iron. The interior is the revelation: a striking display of the potter's wheel at work — every throwing ring preserved in perfect clarity, spiralling inward from the walls to the centre in concentric circles of white and iron-rust brown. The glaze has settled into the grooves and ridges of the throwing marks, deepening the contrast and making the spiral almost concentric. It is like looking into a whirlpool, or the rings of a tree, or the surface of a vinyl record — a record of the making, preserved forever in glaze.

Form & Feel

• Wide, round mug form with a small, elegant hand-formed handle
• Comfortable to hold — generous in the palm, balanced in weight
• Thick walls with excellent heat retention
• Warm, speckled exterior — inviting and tactile
• Concentric spiral interior — a world revealed with every sip

The Throwing Rings

The concentric spiral inside this mug is not a decorative choice — it is the direct record of the potter's hands on the wheel, preserved by the glaze exactly as it was left at the moment of making. The iron-rich glaze has settled into every groove and ridge, making the throwing marks more visible than they would be on an unglazed surface. It is a rare and beautiful effect — and one that makes this mug a small document of the craft.

For the daily tea or coffee drinker who wants something warm, beautiful, and deeply human in their hands every morning. One of a kind, never to be repeated.

Care

Suitable for contact with tea. Hand wash gently and avoid abrasive cleaners. Variations and firing marks are part of this one-of-a-kind handmade piece.