This is a truly exciting and historic piece by National Master Potter Tang Xianwu.

In imperial times the vivid blue of Jingdezhen Porcelain glazing came from high manganese, low iron cobalt mined in Sumatra and presented a tribute to the court as a precious vivid blue that defined porcelain culture for hundreds of years. When the imperial family was overthrown and replaced by Republic of China, a member of the former imperial family changed his surname and founded a pottery workshop in Shanghai, inviting Yixing artists and a German porcelain artist to collaborate. Once, the vivid blue glazing material for porcelain was mixed with Benshan Qing Duan Yixing clay, and produced an incredible deep green clay that they called Republic Green.

Sadly, the exact formula and mineral balance was lost to time after the Communist Revolution. After years of meticulous research and incredible sourcing connections, Tang Xianwu has revived this lost formula, mixing original deposit Benshan clay with vivid natural "tribute" cobalt ore from Sumatra, naming the new blend Sumatra Green instead of Republic Green to preserve this incredible discovery for future generations before it is lost to time.

Original deposit Ben Shan clay is already rare enough as it is, but to be used as a “revival” blend with what is essentially the base ingredient of Jingdezhen Porcelain’s stunning blue glazing makes this even more special. 

The lotus iconography of the pot is particularly fitting - the Buddhist motif of the resplendent beauty of the lotus rising from the mud of a pond is a poetic mirror for the resplendence of the pot itself, literally blended from mud, and over countless hours of craft, shaped into its peerless self.

The pot is a tactile pleasure to hold, with a lid that fits so smoothly and a strong fast pour.

The pictures speak for themselves, showing off the contrast between touches of gold and stunning blue, and the perfect curves and construction of Tang Xianwu’s latest masterwork.