Peach Flower tea set, 150ml"

Bluish-White Porcelain with Flint Red (Qinghua Huoshi Hong)

Exemplified in this Peach Flower tea set, showcases a rare and naturally occurring firing effect from classic blue-and-white porcelain traditions. Originating from iron-rich clay, the porcelain undergoes a high-temperature reduction firing, where iron oxide transforms into iron (II) oxide. Upon cooling, selective re-oxidation creates distinctive reddish flint marks on the porcelain’s base and foot rim. This unique characteristic, highly prized since the Yuan and early Ming dynasties, adds historic authenticity and subtle color contrast to each piece, making every tea set a collector’s treasure rooted in traditional craftsmanship.

Significance: This feature serves as a definitive authenticity marker, particularly for porcelain from the 14th and 15th centuries. It enhances aesthetic appeal through its natural, spontaneous, and delicate presence, which beautifully complements the vivid cobalt blue glaze. Replicating this effect is challenging; modern copies often apply artificial flint red paint that appears uniform and unnatural, unlike the genuine, organically developed coloration. In essence, it acts as the distinctive "birthmark" of ancient blue-and-white porcelain, created by the interaction of iron in the clay with the kiln’s firing environment.