We are privileged to feature a selection of work from renowned Taiwanese artist Bai Zong-Ping. Not only is he a master potter in his own right, he is also an exceptionally gifted painter and sculptor with a lively and colorful palette. He is also a highly-skilled artisan when it comes to traditional finishes and glazing. This cup highlights one of these techniques: it is bronze gilded in the Chinese tradition that inspired the Ormolu technique of 18th century French and English gilders. The metal oxides are bonded to the outer surface through extreme heat leaving an iridescent metallic finish that is simply stunning. But wait, it gets better: the finish actually improves over time through contact with tea and develops a rich reddish copper tint that can be polished to a rich lustrous finish! Each cup is hand-turned by the artist so slight variations in size and volume are to be expected. This tall turret shape of these cups is most pleasant especially for fresh and fragrant teas like high-mountain oolongs, bao zhongs and black teas. The 3 mm wall thickness provides good insulation. A lower profile, thicker-walled version is also available here. Each cup is signed by the artist, and proudly handcrafted in Taiwan.