Most people choose a mug by how it looks and then live with how it feels. It is worth reversing the order.
The parts of a mug
- Rim, or lip. The top edge your mouth meets.
- Body, or wall. The cup itself; its thickness decides how warm it feels in the hand.
- Handle. Pulled or rolled clay joined to the body at two points.
- Foot. The ring the mug stands on, usually left unglazed.
- Glaze. The glassy coat, inside and out, that makes it hold liquid and clean easily.
Each of these can be judged by hand, in this order.
Weight
Lift it empty, then imagine it full. A mug that feels substantial empty can be tiring once it holds three hundred millilitres of coffee. The weight should sit low, near the base, not up at the rim.
The rim
Run a finger around it. A rim slightly rounded and not too thick meets the lip cleanly. Thick rims make a drink feel blunt; very thin ones chip. Somewhere in between is where the good ones live.
The handle
Put two fingers through it. They should fit without pressing against the wall, because the wall will be hot. Check where the handle joins the body, top and bottom: those joins carry the whole load when the mug is full.
A handle is the part most likely to fail, and the part most easily judged by hand.
The foot
Turn it over. The ring it stands on is usually unglazed, so it does not fuse to the kiln shelf. It should be smooth enough not to mark a table. Bare clay also holds water after washing, which is why a stacked mug can leave a faint ring.
Then the glaze
Only now look at the colour. Notice where it thins over a curve and gathers in a hollow. On hand-thrown work this variation is expected and is part of what you are choosing.
More pieces, and the studios behind them, on Instagram.
