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Moon jar, 17in (44cm) tall, by Michel François – £2200.

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He says one can learn to carve marble in three years but it takes 30 to master the wheel.

Three years ago, he and his friend Jacob Boddilly, whose studio is on the Devon/Somerset border, teamed up to produce 3000 earthenware pots, bowls, teaware for the Eden Project.

But François’ love is porcelain: exemplified by the wares produced during the Song Dynasty (960-1279) and the 11th-12th century moon jar Leach brought back to England in 1935 and which is now in the British Museum. His own moon jars are priced at £1400-2200 each.

François’ porcelain has been shown in galleries from London to Taipei and this summer featured at the British Craft Pavilion at the London Design Fair.

His next venture is a two-month trip to Korea in October to prepare for a joint exhibition in April with master potter Sui Joong Ji.