Item Care

Earthenware

Earthenware

Almost all of our Ghosts and Pen Holders and some of our older Lava People are made with earthenware clay.

Earthenware items are not hi-fired, meaning they remain porous and are not water safe. Earthenware items are not meant to be used as vases or
for food consumption but purely for decorative or dry functions (like keeping pencils on a desk).

This also applies to our Brick series. As the bricks tend to be older and on the frail side, they should be treated as an earthenware item.

Placing water in or on an earthenware item could cause it to crack and/or mold.

To clean an earthenware item simply wipe it with a dry cloth. You can also use a dry brush or toothbrush to remove stubburn dust from textured surfaces. Using water, oil or a wet cloth could discolor or stain the clay.

The same goes for our raku fired items (if these items are online, they are clearly marked). The clay is brittle and very delicate because of the violent and shocking temperature changes of the classic Japanese raku firing techniques.
Therefore we recommend only using your raku items as decor.

Made with love.

Made to last a lifetime.

Ceramic items, no matter the material, can outlast generations. Jars, vases and ceramic sculptures have survived the test of time, sitting in museums and grandmas' cabinets, undiscovered tombs and caves around the world.

As long as items are treated with respect, handled with care and used appropriately, they should last a long, long time.

Of course, we understand that mistakes happen, life happens and, well, kids and cats happen.

If anything should come between your Studio Arhoj item and a long lifespan, please don't hesitate to get in touch.

While we don't offer repairs ourselves, we may have suggestions on how to best fix an item. We may also be able to offer something to ease the pain.

You can find info on how to reach us on our contact page.

Thanks for bringing one (or many) of our items into your home. We hope it brings you joy for many, many years to come.

What's that pinging sound?

Many of our low-fired items are decorated with beautiful transparent glazes. As the piece is low-fired, the item/glaze can sometimes still react to temperature changes in a room.

This reaction may cause a "ping" or a "ding" sound - Ceramicists usually say their pieces are "singing". It is the result of a tiny hairline crack forming in the glaze.

These hairline cracks are completely normal and can resemble the tiny crackle patterns in old Japanese ceramic pieces over time. The cracks are only in the glaze (not in the actual item) and are usually not visible unless you look very closely.

The cracks will not affect the lifespan of the product and glaze will not fall off.

To prevent and reduce the pinging sound try to keep the item in an area where the temperature does not fluctuate, such as a coffee table or book shelf. Keeping the item on a windowsill, over a radiator or near a drafty door (in the winter months) can cause the sound to increase in frequency.

We find the hairline cracks and crackle patterns to be a beautiful and unique addition to the character of each piece.