Collection: Ceramic Cups

Polish ceramic cups from Bolesławiec are handmade and hand-decorated because morning coffee tastes better from a handcrafted cup. No two cups are the same. Tiny differences prove that dishes were not made by machine. Each piece passes through multiple stages to ensure its flawless look.

Offering a hot drink and a sweet on a dessert plate to visitors is an important part of our hospitality. Traditionally, Polish homes would bring out their best cups for guests. Using a proper ceramic cup is part of the experience: the weight in your hand, and the way it keeps your drink hot while you chat, makes it special.

Shapes of Polish Ceramic Cups from Bolesławiec

We make several different types of ceramic cups for coffee, tea, hot chocolate and other warm beverages you enjoy.

• The Mars Mug is tall and straight with a bigger handle that lies comfortably in your hand. It holds about 300 ml.
• The Belly Cup has a round, curved shape. It also holds about 300 ml. The belly shape fits nicely in your hands, warming your fingers on cold days.
• The cup and saucer set is perfect for your morning tea routine. The cup holds 200 or 300 ml (depending on which model you choose).

Many of our customers end up with a small collection of different shapes: a belly cup for evening herbal tea, a Mars mug for morning coffee, and a cup and saucer set for weekend afternoons when there is time to linger over a cuppa.

Patterns on Ceramic Cups

In our pottery shop, we put patterns on each cup using rubber stamps dipped in coloured clay. You can see different styles:

• peacock’s eye,
• Polka dots,
• rosettes,
• floral motifs,
• wheat,

Blue is our main colour, it is what Bolesławiec pottery is known for. However, we also experiment with different colours. That is why, you will find green, red, brown, and yellow on our ceramic cups and other dishes. The pottery is not painted on top, as it may seem. The coloured clay becomes part of the cup when we fire it in the kiln.

History of Bolesławiec Cups

The story of Bolesławiec cups goes back to the Middle Ages. Back then, local potters started making ceramic vessels using clay found in the area. At first, they made big containers for beer, wine, and mead.

Around the late 1700s, potters began making smaller pieces too. They started crafting cups, milk jugs, and small pitchers. In the 1800s, potters began using bright white glazes, and the cups became cleaner and more refined. They started using cobalt blue for decorations.

After World War II, much of Bolesławiec was damaged, including many pottery workshops. But the locals were determined to keep their tradition alive. They rebuilt the workshops and started making cups again.

Process of Making Ceramic Cups

Making a ceramic cup starts with local clay. This clay contains special minerals (kaolinite and quartz, among others) from Bolesławiec region that make it durable. A potter shapes the cup on a wheel or uses a mould, then attaches the handle by hand. After drying for a day, cups are fired at about 900°C.

Then, decorators stamp on the patterns using coloured clay slips and stamps or brushes. After the decoration dries, we dip the cups in clear glaze and fire them again at 1250°C. We check each one before packing for cracks or flaws.

Making pottery the traditional way does not harm the planet. We use local clay that does not need to travel far. The ceramic cups last for decades, and create much less waste than dozens of cheap mugs or paper cups that are thrown away.

Benefits of Polish Pottery Cups

The Polish artistic ceramics directly from the factory in Poland keep your drinks hot longer than thin ceramic or glass cups. This is because of their thick walls. The clay does not get too hot to hold, and you can enjoy hot drinks comfortably.

All our glazes are lead-free and safe for food and drinks. The cups can go in the dishwasher and microwave. They are hard to chip or break. Many customers have been using the same cups for decades. However, if you do drop one on a hard floor, it might break. They are strong, but not indestructible.

Moreover, they are easy to look after. You can put them in the dishwasher (however, washing by hand is better). If you get tea or coffee marks inside, put some baking soda and warm water in the cup and leave it for a bit to clean the stain.

Ceramic Cups as Gifts

Most presents end up forgotten in a drawer, but these cups get used every morning. They are a fantastic gift idea for people who just moved house or got married. Once you have one Polish pottery cup, you might want to get more things that go with it.

We sell butter dishes, sugar bowls and cream jugs with the same patterns as our cups. Some folks start small with just a cup, then later add a plate, then a bowl, slowly building up over time. The good thing about Polish pottery is that even if pieces do not match exactly, they still look nice together.

Browse our collection and find a cup that feels right for your morning tea or coffee. Believe us, ordinary mugs just do not feel the same.