Antique-Style Wood-Fired Blue & White Sancai Gaiwan – Fish & Lotus Motif

Originating from Jingdezhen, this Sancai Gaiwan (a traditional three-piece tea vessel consisting of a lid, bowl, and saucer) is crafted with a classic "foliate rim" (花口). The gently undulating edges resemble blossoming petals, breaking the strict geometry of a standard round bowl and introducing a fluid, understated elegance. The piece presents a calm, restrained aesthetic with deep, stable indigo tones, making it both a highly functional brewing vessel and a collectible piece of ceramic art.

Craftsmanship: Traditional Pine Wood-Fired Kiln (Chai Yao) 
This piece is fired using the most traditional wood-firing kilns (柴窑) in Jingdezhen. The vessel is placed securely inside a saggar (a protective ceramic box) and fired using pure pine wood. Kiln masters rely on decades of experience, manually adding wood to control the temperature, which eventually peaks at 1300°C.
Unlike the predictable and uniform heating curves of modern gas kilns, a wood-fired kiln produces a natural, rhythmic temperature variation. During the intense heat, the volatilized oils from the pine wood interact with the porcelain glaze. This distinct reaction grants the porcelain an exceptionally antiqued, deeply lustrous, and "oily" finish. It is this warm, jade-like texture that makes authentic wood-fired porcelain irreplaceable.

Motif: Fish Playing Among Lotus 
A closer look at the vessel reveals that the "Fish and Lotus" motif is not simply painted across the surface; it is meticulously framed within traditional Ruyi-shaped panels (开光), creating a sense of structured depth.
The imagery of fish swimming among lotus leaves is a deeply rooted cultural motif. The lotus symbolizes purity and resilience, while the fish represents continuous abundance and vitality. The artisan uses varying concentrations of cobalt blue pigment to mimic the gradient effects of traditional ink-wash paintings, bringing the swaying aquatic plants and lively fish to life. The saucer is bordered by a classic key-fret (回纹) pattern, providing a structured, architectural frame to the poetic aquatic scene.

Material & Craft Specifications
Origin: Jingdezhen, China
Shaping Technique: Fully hand-thrown and hand-trimmed on the potter's wheel
Clay Body: Premium raw ore antique-style clay (a traditional blend of porcelain stone and kaolin)
Pigment: Raw ore antique-style cobalt blue pigment
Glaze: Raw ore transparent glaze

Specifications
Bowl Diameter: 10.5 cm
Overall Height (with lid): 10 cm
Capacity: 140 ml
Saucer Diameter: 12.5 cm
Saucer Height: 3.0 cm