Karen McCartney introduces potter Malcolm Greenwood and his beautifully tactile cup and saucer, today's Object of Desire.

When you work at Temple & Webster, inspiration can come from anywhere. In this instance it was a couple of us having a cup of coffee in Single Origin Roasters in Sydney's Surry Hills. They do a great coffee, but the experience was enhanced in its authenticity by drinking it out of a hand-made cup and saucer – no handle necessary.

We found out that the maker was Malcolm Greenwood and we tracked him down to his studio in Sydney's North Shore. There at the back of the house was a studio and a kiln, with cups, platters and all manner of vessels in all stages of production.



Malcolm, one of Australia's master potters, has been a practising  for several decades, creating both gallery art pieces alongside commercial production. He has become something of a darling of the café and restaurant trade from hipster joints to high-end eateries. Bentley Bar, Monopole and the aforesaid Single Origin Roasters seek out his work for its organic forms, echoing Japanese pottery, and the density of his glazes and the quality finish.  Not only does he create what goes on the table but he develops new product designs working with retailers, such as his recent ceramics pendant lights, Licht, for Koskela.



But back to the cups and saucers.

They are as perfect as something hand-crafted can be. Just the right size for coffee aficionados, the right weight in your hand, made all the more apparent by the lack of a handle. The tactility of the matt glaze on the exterior and a smooth glaze on the interior makes drinking a pleasure.

While we have many products that we love on Temple & Webster, this one comes triple stamped. We are big fans.