Purple Clay Teapot and Cup Set

A small tea set in purple clay: one teapot of roughly 12 by 7cm, four cups a little over 5cm across, and a lidded caddy of about 8cm to hold leaf. Everything nests into a fitted gift box, which is what makes it as practical for a desk drawer or a weekend bag as it is for a sideboard at home.

Purple clay is unglazed on the inside, and the point of that is that it takes on the character of what is brewed in it over time — which is why anyone using one tends to keep a pot for a single type of tea rather than switching between them. The pot pours cleanly and the cups are small in the traditional way, meant to be refilled rather than nursed.

Two finishes are offered, differing in the tone of the clay and the shaping of the handle. Rinse with hot water and no detergent, which would be absorbed by the unglazed clay and taint the next brew; a soft cloth is enough. Hand wash only, and let the pot air dry with the lid off before it is put away, since a lid left on a damp pot will trap moisture and eventually leave a stale note in the clay.

• Six pieces: teapot, four cups, lidded caddy
• Teapot approx. 12 x 7cm, cups approx. 5cm
• Unglazed purple clay interior
• Fitted gift box included
• Two finishes available
• Rinse with hot water only - no detergent, hand wash