Green globe attempt 5

This was my 5th attempt at a green globe cup. I think I have figured out the difference between batch 1 & batch 2. Batch 1 was glazed at peak summer just after 12th night. Batch 2, glazed about a month later during cooler weather. As a result, a lot of the water from the first mid-green glaze didn’t evaporate before I dipped the cups in the translucent green. This meant less translucent green so a lighter frothier pale green. This time the first coat was given more time to dry so more of the translucent green glaze stuck. It provided a better green colour however the translucent glaze has a fair amount of silica in it so too much will make the glaze run and smear the under glaze.

Kashan cup with stylised vegetal decoration and inscriptions under a transparent turquoise glaze, Persian, early 13th century. Sotheby’s. Arts of the Harvey B Plotnik collection, item 177. There is also a slightly fancier version with slightly different proportions in the Victorian and Albert museum here.

Pictured above is the extant ewer whose pattern I have utilised. Per standard, I haven’t even bothered replicating the text as I do not know what it says nor do I know what effect an imprecise replication could have. I just loved how well balanced this design was and wondered if I could manage something similar. The original is 12cm high while mine is only 8cm, two thirds of the height. Skipping the basal section seemed like the right approach to maintain the shapes and ratios. I think it has worked out quite well.

The design in black under glaze. This was quite fun to do as the pattern wraps around the bulb of the cup quite nicely.

Fired. A small amount of running has obscured parts of the design. An interesting lesson from this cup - do not underglaze the rim. On previously posted green glaze cups it is possible to see the rim of the cup has very thin glaze. This section is usually pulled out of the glaze dip last and while thin, has the most time to accumulate glaze. As it is at the top of the cup during firing, it also is the first to have the glaze run. The sort of metallic shades to the rim on this cup is due to the glaze running and collecting the black underglaze. This has given it an interesting sheen. Though this is an easy way of treating the rim and makes a good visual border, I won't be using thick bands of underglaze like this again.