These are kind of hard to make, hence the price. But what you get for it is an item of the most durable quality that nature (or woman, as the case may be) can make: porcelain is as dense as granite. So if you are looking for an impervious surface on which to grind seeds/ dried herbs/ flour, this may suit well.

I make just the slightest bit of texture on the inner surface of the mortar- a finger would register it at about 100 grit. The pestle is large and hollow, with an active (bottom) surface that is at least an inch thick to allow for a wider grinding surface area within the mortar.

The lid is simply to provide you some options for use: some people might pre-warm the bowl and use it as a nest for rising bread. Or one could similarly pre-warm both the bowl and lid as a place to incubate yogurt or cultured cream.

This one is 9” wide at the top of the bowl, an interior height of 6” (total is 8”.