Franz Porcelain Collection | Papillon Butterfly | Butterfly Teapot | XP1878 | Designed & Sculpted by Jen Woo | c.2001

The handle is a butterfly, the spout is a leaf, and the lid carries a flower — this is a teapot that refuses to be reduced to function.

Franz Collection was established in Taiwan in 2001 by Chen Li-Heng, drawing on nearly two decades of porcelain manufacturing through Seagull Decor. Production is based in Jingdezhen, China’s historic porcelain capital. The Papillon Butterfly series was among the earliest and most awarded Franz collections, and the Butterfly Teapot (XP1878), designed and sculpted by Jen Woo, stands as one of the defining forms within that range.

The body is modelled as a full, rounded sphere, the glaze graduating from ivory-white at the base through soft celadon towards the shoulder. Applied in relief across the surface are two fully open narcissus blooms — cream petals with yellow centres — accompanied by closed buds and long, curling green leaves that move fluidly across the form. The spout emerges as a sculpted leaf, tapering to a fine, controlled point.

The handle is formed as a fully three-dimensional butterfly: wings spread and slightly raised, painted in orange-peach shading to yellow with brown veining and white-spotted tips, the body rendered in deep brown. The base glaze shifts to a soft pink-mauve tone, carried through into the handle and along the edge of the spout, unifying the composition.

The circular lid sits neatly within a leaf-edged collar and is finished with a narcissus bloom finial. The base bears the underglaze blue Franz mark, red seal stamp, design number XP1878, and the hand-applied signature of Jen Woo.

The teapot remains in mint, unused condition. There are no chips, cracks, crazing, or losses. All applied sculptural elements are intact. The original Franz presentation box is included, showing light storage wear, along with the Franz Porcelain pamphlet.

Key Details

• Maker: Franz Porcelain Collection
• Series: Papillon Butterfly
• Design number: XP1878
• Designer & Sculptor: Jen Woo
• Form: Teapot
• Material: Porcelain
• Date: c.2001
• Dimensions: 19 cm (handle to spout) × 15.5 cm (diameter) × 16.5 cm (height)
• Weight: 668 g
• Condition: Mint, unused
• Box: Original Franz presentation box included
• Pamphlet: Included

Collector Appeal

• One of the flagship sculptural forms within the Papillon Butterfly series
• Fully realised three-dimensional handle and spout design, not surface-applied decoration
• Early production period (c.2001) — aligns with Franz’s most awarded design phase
• Signed example with complete original packaging, increasingly scarce in this condition
• Appeals to both Franz collectors and decorative porcelain buyers seeking statement pieces

A teapot this resolved in its own design stops being an object of use — and becomes an argument for why even the everyday should be made properly.