How do you view your coffee (or in my case, tea) mug? As something boring and utilitarian? Or as something joyful and artistic?
In essence that’s the question Kate is asking this week in her Listography. She wants to see five of our favourite mugs.
Well you’ll be glad to know I’m not going to show you five of mine. I’ll show you one, because I tend to the view that the coffee mug is something utilitarian and generally boring.
As far as I’m concerned a mug has to fulfil just a few simple criteria: it must be dishwasher proof, fairly straight-sided (I can’t abide flared or fancy shapes), with no daft slogans or girlie pictures, made of pottery (unless for the consumption of alcohol when glass is de rigueur). Most importantly they must hold a pint of liquid.
Yes, I drink everything by the pint. I can’t be doing with silly little cups that hold half a mouthful.
So here is the tea mug I’m drinking from while writing this …
This one was made by John Leach at Muchelney, Somerset. I have two or three of these mugs (which hold about a pint) and we also have a selection of other Leach kitchenware pots, all of which are used. I do love John Leach pottery which is fired in a Japanese-style wood burning kiln to give it those wonderful colours and a rough finish. It is wonderful stuff to look at and to use; it is about my only concession to the arty in mugs — well in china at all, really. And no wonder. John Leach is the eldest grandson of master potter Bernard Leach, and son of David Leach. So pottery is in his blood; it has been his life’s work and passion.
If you’re anywhere near Somerset, do go to John Leach’s pottery at Muchelney where they have a shop and a small art gallery. You might well meet the potters too. And while there make sure to visit Muchelney church to see the wonderful décolleté angels on the ceiling.
[Hint: Take your satnav. Muchelney is one of those places that is impossible to find. I think we’ve got lost every time we’ve been there!]
Apart from these by John Leach my other tea/coffee mugs are all plain boring pottery. And you all know what a plain boring pottery mug looks like.
That is a mans mug if ever I saw one! Quite lovely though.
That looks like a good solid mug! Bet your tea stays warm for AGES in there.
Lloks nice but has it gor a rough glaze? I need smooth sides, sorry.
@Kate … John Leach pottery is indeed rather lovely. He does make smaller sizes too.@jbmumofone … Yep, hot tea is one advantage of a larger mug. And yes they are very solid. I think we're only ever managed to break one piece of Leach kitchenware and we have some that has been in us for 25 years!@Midlife … Yes it is rough on the outside, but unglazed. There's only glaze on the inside and the rim. The roughness does wear down after a while, mainly due to the efforts of the dishwasher, but never fully goes away.
I can vouch for Muchelney being a great place to visit living very close by myself. John Leach does indeed make some beutiful things and, as an added bonus, there is a lovely little teashop there too!
I am feeling the want on this one. I shall poodle over to the website – thankyou for putting a link in!