A lovely mizusashi for tea-ceremony. This piece dates from the Edo period and is of the e-Seto variety, “e” meaning drawing. Featuring rich earthy tones and intricate hand-drawn stencil designs of what appear to be a ring of passion flowers resting on a vine, this splendid composition leaves a lasting impression. Several kintsugi (gold) repairs attest to its great age and care that went into maintaining this piece through generations...

Looking as though it were cast from molten rock, this chawan has a very earthy and primal feel to it. The rich clay shows through in places hinting of ochre, yellow, and even a subtle metallic blue—cleverly mimicking the way mineral formations appear in nature...

Cylinder shaped (hanzutsu) tea bowl made of light, fine, unrefined Mino clay dating to early Edo Period. Shape and style make it appear contemporary with the late Oribe bowls.

The expertly thrown body is covered with the typical black oniita engobe inside and outside - with the exception of the bottom - over which a white, feldspatic Shino glaze has been poured...

Distorted shoe shaped (kutsugata)tea bowl made of light, fine, unrefined Mino clay.

Shape and style (note the trimmed walls and the flaring mouth) make it appear contemporary with the late Oribe bowls.

The expertly thrown body is covered with the typical white, feldspatic Shino glaze which has been poured and under which a decoration of four cedar trees and grass on the reverse side have been applied in iron oxid (oni ita)...

Little distorted half cylinder shaped (hanzutzu) tea bowl made of light, coarse unrefinde Mino clay, with very nice, little and small ishihaze (exploding stones).

The mouth has been trimmed in a fashion frequently seen in black Oribe but rarely in Ki Seto (yellow Seto) bowls. The expertly thrown body is covered with the typical ash glaze inside and outside which has turned into yellow due to a slight iron oxide content in the clay...

Little distorted half cylinder shaped (tsutsugata) tea bowl made of light, coarse, unrefined Mino clay.

The expertly thrown body is covered with the typical, glossy black iron oxide glaze inside and outside.

The window is decorated with three concentric squares and twigs in iron oxide glaze has then covered with a clear ash and feldspar glaze. This is a typical Momoyama design...

This piece features a warm golden glaze with several patches of lighter pigmentation. The inside of the bowl is especially inviting and shows a magnificent patina developed over many decades of use and what appears to be a partly faded stencil of a pinecone. The foot is well-shaped, well-grounded, and clearly displays the unglazed rich clay...

Raised, undulating ridges on a field of cobalt blue highlighted with white slip and bronze flecks around the rim, this piece conjures images of the deep and stormy sea or possibly of the vast swirling cosmos...

This lovely white Hagi chawan rests firmly on a wari kodai or “split foot.” The crackled milky glaze varies in consistency across the curves and contours of the bowl with some areas tending towards a faint brown, adding an interesting dimension to the landscape.

The creator of this piece Matsuura Mugen (1944 - ) has spent his life in the pursuit of perfecting the art of Hagi...

Located at the foot of an active volcano, the Ougaku kiln specializes in a type of pottery know as Sakurajima-yaki. The kiln is headed by Hashino Midori and run entirely by female potters who strive to infuse each piece they produce with the “energy” of the surrounding environment. Pieces such as the one featured here are made from volcanic ash and mineral-rich onsen spring water giving them a unique luster that is difficult to reproduce...

Wonderful hand shaped Tanba chawan, made 80 - 100 years ago. The tea bowl is well balanced and has a perfect shape.

No chips or cracks.

The bottom is signed. Good Wabi Sabi aura. Great!

Size: 6,5 cm height x 11,7 cm in diameter.

Tanba-yaki pottery originated approximately 800 years ago and has played an essential role in people’s daily lives, as well as becoming sought after as artwork in recent years...

The creator of this extraordinary work, Shibuya Deishi, is best known for his works of “Oni-hagi”—typically made with rough clay and heavy dripping glazes. This piece by contrast seems delicately crafted and has a very soft and warm quality to it. The outside is covered with overlapping molded flower petals done in an almond glaze with ivory accents at the tips of each petal...

A work of perfection by one of Japan’s most admired ceramic artists. This piece by Nakajima Hiroshi demonstrates his mastery of the art of celadon pottery.

Born in 1941 in Hiroshima prefecture, at the age of 28 he established his own kiln and became an independent potter. 1n 1977 he received honorable mention in the Japan Tradional Applied Fine Arts Exhibition...

The Hiramaki-e technique, which dates from the latter part of the Heian Period (794-1185), was preceded by Togidashi maki-e, a technique in which not only the design, but the whole surface is covered with clear lacquer after the sprinkling of metal powder. The lacquer is then polished down to reveal the design.

The Japanese letter box is decorated in low relief of mountainous terrain and a stylized linear mist or cloud line. The interior ground is lacquered and sprinkled with gold fl...

This lovely Ido-gata shaped chawan has very nice asymmetrical balance highlighted by extensive and skillfully applied kintsugi gold repairs. The inside bottom of the bowl is covered in a green glaze resembling a carpet of fine moss which stands out nicely agains the backdrop of the ashen-colored crackled glazing of the walls of the bowl.

Stemming from the philosophy of wabi-sabi or, beauty in the imperfect, cracks and repairs in a work of pottery are often seen as highlighting the h...

Special autumn offer:

Another beautiful chawan from our familiy collection: square cylinder shaped (hanzutsu) tea bowl made of light, fine, unrefined Mino clay, with a flaring mouth in shape of a half pipe.

Shape and style make it appear contemporary with the late Oribe bowls. The expertly thrown body is covered with the typical black oniita engobe inside and outside - with the exception of the bottom - over which a white, feldspatic Shino glaze has been poured. Just the...

This elegant and mature work of Karatsu pottery has an unglazed foot and beautiful crackled glazing that displays hues ranging from ivory to almond.

Toya Inoue (1942 - ) is a native of the world-renowned pottery center of Karatsu in Saga prefecture. From a young age he was interested in tea and tea-ware and studied tea ceremony under Tansai. Later in his 20’s he was involved in a project to restore ancient kilns. From this experience he decided to make pottery his life’s work an...

This chawan was made by the 8th generation Ohi Chozaemon (1851-1927) based in Kanazawa and is done in a style known as “ameyu” or candy glazing. The glazing is a wonderful example of ameyu and, in fact, approximates the color of a caramel candied-apple. The interesting color scheme and glossy sheen make it an attractive backdrop for a frothy bowl of dark green matcha. While some tea bowls may look best in the confines of a dimly lit tea room, this bowl looks much better in bright light. In a...