Latvian black ceramics

Black ceramics (melnā keramika) is one of Latvia's oldest pottery techniques. Every piece here is from Cepļi, the workshop Ingrīda Žagata founded near the Baltic coast in 1985: thrown from Latvian clay, often engraved, and fired at about 1050 °C in an open-fire kiln. At the end of the firing the kiln is closed and starved of oxygen, and the smoke turns the clay a deep silver-black. The colour comes from the fire rather than a glaze, and flame and smoke leave different shading on every vessel.

27 pieces · from €32 · Handmade in Latvia

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As a gift

Black ceramics as a gift

Black ceramics is a gift with a story: a technique centuries old, made by a potter who has worked the same kiln for decades. A mug or small bowl is an easy start; a teapot or vase is a centrepiece.

The makers

Questions and answers

How do I care for black ceramics?
We recommend washing by hand with warm water and a little mild detergent rather than using the dishwasher or microwave. Smoke-fired clay can deepen in tone or gain a patina with use, which is part of its character.
Is black ceramics food safe?
Yes. It is fired clay coloured by carbon from the smoke, with no paint. Black ceramics has been used for food and drink in Latvia for generations.
Why is every piece slightly different?
The colour comes from flame and smoke in an open-fire kiln, which cannot be controlled exactly. Silver, grey and black shading varies from piece to piece.