Philippa is not quite sure when, or why, she started to use porcelain but she likes making things to be used and knows that pots with a purpose - cups, jugs and bowls - need to have several attributes. They should feel right in the hand, spouts and handles need to function properly, and they need to be durable.

Once fired, porcelain is very strong so handles, rims and spouts don’t need to be chunky and, as Philippa has recently learned, porcelain holds the heat for longer than other clays so your tea will stay hot for longer.

Porcelain also has a very smooth surface which invites the use of a brush or slip trailer. On the downside it is more difficult to throw, has a shrinkage rate of about 10% and is therefore much more likely than other clays to warp in the firing.

Once fired however it is extremely durable. The high firing temperature partially vitrifies the body which forms a strong bond with the glaze. Time and usage will not degrade porcelain and, if it doesn’t suffer any sharp impacts, it will last for centuries.

Porcelain apparently gets its name from the old Italian word for a cowrie shell, porcellana, which makes perfect sense.