Mini-saggars for electric firing

Here are the two small saggars I used in the last electric firing. They are made from a very groggy clay mix (50/50 stoneware and raku) and the larger one is only six inches tall. Both the lids fit pretty snugly to prevent oxygen seeping in from outside. They worked really well in this respect..too well in fact, as one of the pots was over-reduced..charred to be exact.

The inside of the lid has turned a wonderful shade of lavender purple..this is the kind of delicate colour I'd ideally like to get on the pots, so next time I'll fire pieces with the same clay body as the saggar!

This is the other pot which came out better..a wine cup, which had a fair amount of iron in the body, hence the very dark colour on the outside which was unglazed.

Wine cup, fired in the saggar with rounded lid

The problem with glazing the outside is that the combustibles are very close to the pots, and the intense, direct heat when they ignite can damage the glaze. With larger saggars, the combustibles can be kept further away, or placed under shelves etc. to protect the surface.

Well, I'll be trying this again in the near future..just need to increase my banana consumption; another new year's resolution to add to the list!