Tall Oxblood Fantail Vase

A reactive oxblood glaze coats this traditional fantail-shaped vase in eye-catching swirls of rich red. Compared to the color of crushed strawberries, red wine or dried blood, the glaze contains large amounts of copper, which can be unpredictable during firing, sometimes turning green instead of red. By starving the glaze of oxygen during firing and reintroducing it during cooling, ceramicists could retain the rusty red color while exploiting the glaze’s mesmerizingly random effects. Copper-based glazes were first introducing during the Ming dynasty and perfected in the 18th century to produce a more glossy, rich appearance.