These Are Not Cardboard - Honest

I still don't believe it, I mean do you? These 'cardboard' vases held together by 'tape' are actually ceramic, made by French potter Jaques Monneraud. The detail is so spot on, something that looks relatively simple took may hours mixing three different stonewares and testing out just the right glaze for the tape. He totally nailed it.

Monneraud explores his 'what if..' ideas on his Instagram account, sometimes the mind wanders and you think, could I make that? 

With this project, 'Carton', Monneraud was playing with the idea of not trusting appearances, and says he always liked the idea of unalterable cardboard. Something that looks so temporary and makeshift but is actually substantial and whole. 

I love his website as well, beautifully laid out with copy that is light-heartedly written, such as the blurb for Vase No.13 "If you are here, you probably know that this vase is not made of cardboard, but of ceramic. It is turned and shaped entirely by hand, then fired at 1270°C. The pieces of tape are the only glazed parts of this object. Perfectly waterproof, the vase is functional and will welcome flowers like Elliot welcoming E.T."

Originally found at Design Boom.