Longpi pottery, practised by Manipur’s Tangkhul community, is shaped entirely by hand from a mixture of black serpentine stone and brown clay found in the region. The vessels are sun-dried and fired over an open bonfire, then polished while still hot to bring out their characteristic dark lustre. Working within this material tradition, the teacup and saucer draw their proportions from familiar Indian vessels, bringing an established way of making into an object for the contemporary table.