Wassail cup

I enjoyed making a series of wassail cups during the lockdown of winter 2020/2021 in anticipation of being able to celebrate together with family and friends again in the spring.

This cup is one of the nicest from the firing in late June. It stands 13cm high, the rim is 14cm wide at the top and 16cm wide overall including handles.

Each of the six handles has an individually modelled owl sitting on top of it – I hear tawny owls calling at night from the oak tree outside my bedroom window. This wassail pot is glazed inside and out with a glassy green celadon glaze that sometimes leans towards yellow and sometimes towards blue. An impressed pattern on the handles catches the pooling glaze. There is a good toasty variation in colour across the unglazed body towards the foot of the pot showing evidence of the dancing flame depositing wood ash and soda on the surface.

The history of wassailing is ancient and harks back to the pagan custom of visiting orchards to sing to the fruit trees and spirits of the land in order to ensure a good harvest the following year. Revellers would share a large communal cup of warm cider or other heartening brew. The many handles make the cup convenient to pass from person to person.

Stoneware fired to 1300ºc in wood kiln with soda over 30 hours.

Height 14cm
Widest point 16cm