Yunomi Stoneware, John Leach at Muchelney

This yunomi was made by John Leach (b.1939) at Muchelney Pottery in Somerset. Few names carry as much weight in British studio pottery as Leach. John is the grandson of Bernard Leach (1887–1979), the pioneering potter who founded Leach Pottery in St Ives alongside Shoji Hamada in 1920 and helped establish the studio pottery movement in Britain.

The Leach family spans four generations of potters. Bernard’s son, David Leach, became an influential potter in his own right, while David’s sons, John and Michael Leach, each developed their own distinct practices. Rather than simply continuing the family tradition, John established his own reputation through decades of making at Muchelney Pottery, where he worked from the 1960s onwards.

John’s pottery remains rooted in the values that made the Leach name famous: functional forms, honest materials and an appreciation of East Asian ceramic traditions. However, his work is often recognisable for its more expressive use of glaze. This yunomi combines a warm iron-rich stoneware body with flowing ash and tenmoku-style glazes that have broken and pooled across the surface during firing, creating a landscape-like pattern unique to the piece.

A yunomi is a Japanese tea cup intended for everyday use rather than formal tea ceremonies. The form was embraced by many British studio potters because it perfectly embodies the idea that beautiful objects should be part of daily life rather than reserved for special occasions.

The underside bears John’s impressed potter’s mark.

Dimensions

Height: 10cm

Condition

Excellent vintage condition with no visible chips, cracks or repairs.