Blue pottery: a buyer's guide

What it is

Jaipur blue pottery has no clay in it. The body is ground quartz and glass, shaped in a mould, painted by hand with a fine brush and fired once at a low heat.

What to expect

Every piece is painted freehand, so no two flowers match. The glaze pools thicker in places, and small pinholes and specks come from the firing. None of this is a fault.

Using it

It is for display and dry things. Dried stems in a vase, or fresh ones for an evening only, with the water tipped out after. Keep a plant in its own inner pot inside a planter.

Care

Wipe with a damp cloth. Not for the dishwasher, microwave or oven. It chips if it is knocked, so keep it away from the edge of a shelf.