Ceramic Coffee Cup Archives

Handmade ceramic mug with white, blue & brown glaze: 39 ppm Lead in the substrate & 23 ppm on the food surface (safe by all standards).

December 17, 2021December 19, 2021

Reading #1) Unglazed white base-clay of mug 60-second reading Lead (Pb): 39 +/- 4 ppm Cadmium (Cd): 5 +/- 2 ppm Mercury (Hg): non-detect Bromine (Br): non-detect Chromium (Cr): non-detect Iron (Fe): 3,910 +/ 84 ppm Zinc (Zn): 212 +/- 9 ppm Titanium (Ti): 2,629 +/- 442 ppm Indium (In): 5 +/- 2 ppm Tin…

Portmeirion “The Botanic Garden Circa 1818” Coffee Mug, 1972: 49,700 ppm Lead (90 ppm is unsafe) + Cadmium too.

August 19, 2019August 19, 2019

5 Comments

I do not know the exact year of manufacture of this piece, however the markings indicated it was made in 1972 or later. It is a Portmeirion piece from the collection marked as “The Botanic Garden Circa 1818” and it also has the date “1972” on the bottom as well as the words “Susan Williams-Ellis”,…

Corelle Coordinates White Porcelain Mug with Black Stripe Design: 6,300 ppm Lead (90 is unsafe in kids’ items.)

June 26, 2019

7 Comments

When tested with an XRF instrument the mug pictured here had the following readings: Test focused on area of mug with black stripe: Lead (Pb): 6,300 +/- 157 ppm Barium (Ba): 184 +/- 50 ppm Chromium (Cr): 791 +/- 104 ppm Tin (Sn): 48 +/- 15 ppm Zinc (Zn): 11,500 +/- 300 ppm Iron (Fe):…

Corelle Coordinates White Porcelain Mug: 24 ppm Lead, considered safe by all standards.

June 26, 2019

2 Comments

When tested with an XRF instrument the mug pictured here had the following readings: Glazed surface of the mug: Lead (Pb): 24 +/- 12 ppm Iron (Fe): 2,220 +/- 207 ppm Bismuth (Bi): 158 +/- 17 ppm Vanadium (V): 93 +/- 21 ppm Titanium (Ti): 143 +/- 29 ppm Logo area on bottom of mug…

New Post: “Does My Mug Have Lead?” – Talk Show Host Edition! Do you think these mugs will have Lead?

May 25, 2019May 26, 2019

10 Comments

Saturday, May 25, 2019 Well, I think I just came up with “a scathingly brilliant idea”* so check out this train of thought / logic… [bear with me, it’s kind of long – as with everything I write – lol!] One of my most popular posts of all time is my post about choosing a…

Hearth & Hand with Magnolia (by Chip & Joanna Gaines) Green & Gold mug: 117 +/- 26 ppm Lead (Lead-safe)

December 16, 2018February 28, 2024

1 Comment

Hearth & Hand with Magnolia, by Chip & Joanna Gaines Light Sage Green Ceramic mug with Gold Flecks For those new to the Lead Safe Mama website: Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children…

Plain White Ceramic Pottery Barn PB Classic Mug: 2,528 ppm Lead on the Logo. 90 ppm is unsafe in kids’ items.

November 13, 2018September 27, 2019

2 Comments

Plain White Ceramic Pottery Barn Mug. The logo on the bottom of this Pottery Barn PB Classic ceramic mug is positive for a fairly high level of lead. If you want a guideline on determining if your mug’s logo is leaded I have found the following rule to consistently be true (probably about 99% of…

2018 ‘Natural Life” Rainbow Unicorn Mug: 891 ppm Lead + 218 ppm Cadmium [90 ppm Lead is unsafe, 40 ppm Cadmium]

October 20, 2018May 25, 2019

1 Comment

Well. I apologize in advance. I know I am going to break at least one heart with this post! [Just because something is in the shape of a unicorn does NOT mean that it is free of toxic chemicals, lol!] I tested several components of this mug, and stopped once I found high levels of…

#LeadFree: Crate & Barrel Made In Japan White Ceramic Mug

July 9, 2018December 15, 2018

12 Comments

This Crate & Barrel white ceramic mug (Made In Japan) was negative (non-detect/ND) for lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) when tested with an XRF instrument. The glaze on the main part of the cup was positive for the following metals when tested with an XRF instrument: Barium (Ba): 131 +/- 42…

2017 Walgreens Ceramic Christmas “Not Intended For Children” Santa Mug: 1,657 ppm Cadmium (40 ppm is unsafe)

June 24, 2018May 17, 2024

For those new to the Lead Safe Mama website: Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her four sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Tamara owns and runs Lead Safe…

#Leaded: 2006 Starbucks Coffee Brand Ceramic Mug with Pear and Flower Design

April 12, 2018

2006 Starbucks Coffee Brand Ceramic Mug with Pear and Flower Design: Positive for lead (Pb) with levels as high as 304 ppm lead (+/- 37 ppm) when tested with an XRF instrument. This mug was negative for cadmium, arsenic and mercury. The amount of lead that is considered toxic in the substrate of an item manufactured…

Rae Dunn Collectors are SO upset that I found lead in these pieces that…

February 24, 2018December 23, 2018

11 Comments

Updated: 12/23/2018 Rae Dunn Collectors are SO upset that I found lead in these pieces that… … folks have taken to writing false and slanderous statements about me publicly on social media (in an effort to disprove my findings!) Oy! [We’ve saved screenshots, and hopefully it will stop!] These are passionate collectors I guess! Check…

#Leaded: Chili Pepper Mug

January 29, 2018January 29, 2018

Chili Pepper Ceramic Mug: 5,048 ppm lead (inside), 11,000 ppm lead outside. Tested with an XRF instrument in 2013. Made in China. The amount of lead that is considered toxic in a modern/newly manufactured item intended for children is anything 90 ppm lead or higher. Mugs are not considered items intended for use by children and,…

#Leaded: Prince Charles Mug

January 29, 2018December 7, 2023

Prince Charles souvenir ceramic mug. Tested positive for lead at 300 ppm. No mark or maker noted. Tested with an XRF instrument in 2013. The amount of lead that is considered toxic in a modern/newly manufactured item intended for children is anything 90 ppm lead or higher. Mugs are not considered items intended for use…

#Leaded: MIT Souvenir College Mug

January 28, 2018December 7, 2023

Souvenir Mug from MIT: 32,400 ppm lead. The other mugs shown in this photo range from 17,000 to 19,000 ppm lead. One mug out of 7 tested on this date was lead-free. Tested in 2013. If you have an interest in learning more about these posts (likely because you are new to my site!) please…

#LeadSafe: 2012 White Square Crate & Barrel Dishes

December 6, 2017April 10, 2018

2 Comments

2012 Crate & Barrel, Square Pattern Dishes, Made In China. Small white plate: 49 +/- 14 ppm lead. Medium white plate: 85 +/- 17 ppm lead. Large white plate: 110 +/- 21 ppm lead. White bowl: 57 +/- 14 ppm lead. Mug: 82 +/- 18 ppm lead. Glass: ND 4 all. Here’s a link to…

#LeadSafe: Baum Pyramid Pattern Ceramic Mug

December 3, 2017January 28, 2018

2 Comments

Ceramic Baum “Pyramid” design mug: 26 +/- 15 ppm lead. The interior was negative/ “non-detect” for lead (Pb). Both the interior and exterior were also non-detect for cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), and mercury (Hg.) Tested with an XRF instrument. The amount of lead that is considered toxic in an item for children is anything 90 ppm…

“Classic Greek” Ceramic Coffee Cup!

April 28, 2017April 28, 2017

Coffee cup , ceramic: no lead, no cadmium, no mercury! Woohoo! #XRFTesting FYI: The current amount of lead that is considered toxic in an item intended for children is anything over 90 ppm lead. Items intended for adults (including dishware) are generally unregulated for total lead content. For More Safer Choices For Your Family Click…