Closely resembling a historically important tea bowl made by one of the forebears of the art of tea and Raku pottery, Chojiro, this piece gives one a sense of the deep origins of tea culture.

Fired in the kilns of one of Kyoto’s best known Raku-yaki potters, Sasaki Shoraku III (1944-). The Shoraku line began when the grandfather of the current potter established a kiln near the famous Kiyomizu temple, nestled at the foot of the eastern mountains in Kyoto. In 1945, the kiln was mo...

A Cizhou porcelain caddy was found with original lotus-leaf cover.
In unique russet glaze, the caddy was exemplified the excellent decorative art of Cizhou wares.

Date: Yuan Dynasty 13th century.

Height:15cm
Width:13cm

An identical jar was found in a Yuan tomb painting （Tea ceremony 備茶圖）.(see last picture)

A custom-made cotton box is included.

Description:
A Cizhou pillow was preserved in very good condition.
When decorated on the frontal side with incised motifs of fishes, flowers and water weeds and by a ring-punched ground, the pillow was left being unglazed at the bottom.
Naturally and vibrantly carved, the motifs were rendered in a dated photographic characteristic which we usually seen in the wares of northern regions of early periods.
They were the images of the fishes and the carving strokes of the plants and ...

With a base of dazzling red ochre clay, a technique known as “san-giri,” pioneered by the progenitor of this generational potting family and now widely used among Bizen potters, is employed here to bring out stunning mustard yellows, mossy greens, charcoal blacks, along with a range of subtler hues.

The potter, Konishi Tōko II (1927 -2018) was second daughter to Konishi the first. After graduating from women’s college she assisted her father at the family kiln, e...

This exceptionally well-formed tea bowl displays highlights of flaxen and scarlet visible through a classic black glaze. Raku tea bowls such as this are made by hand, without the use of a potter's wheel. In the process of shaping the bowls, potters handle the tea bowls in much the same manner that users will hold them as they drink from them. In this manner, a connection is formed between the creator of the tea bowl and the participants in the tea ceremony. For this and other reasons, Raku bowls...

When the founder of the Urasenke style of tea ceremony, Sen-So Soshitsu (1622 -1697) was invited to Kanazawa as the master of tea ceremony for the powerful Kaga lords in 1666, the first Chōzaemon came with him and established Ōhi-yaki in Kanazawa. Chōzaemon had been the chief apprentice to the Raku family in Kyoto and took with him many of the principles and ideas associated with Raku-ware. Since those auspicious beginnings, Ōhi-ware has held a high place in the world of tea cere...

Endorsed by the recent Head Tea Master of Urasenke as an exceptional work, this black Raku tea bowl was granted the poetic name “Kokon” Ko, meaning “the distant past” and Kon meaning “the here and now.” This name carries with it the connotation that tradition and accumulated generational knowledge can, in a sense, connect us with the people, places, and situations of times gone by; helping us better understand our present day roles in the ongoing play of form and energy.

...

The natural ash Hagi glaze gives this piece a mellow yet robust feel. The foot of the bowl is unglazed in places showing traces of ferrous-rich clay in the form of an orangish hue. The sides of the bowl show pale ash, ivory, and faint hints of lavender. Overall a classic and attractive example of an expertly crafted Hagi tea bowl.

The creator of this work, Korai-zaemon Saka XI was born in Yamaguchi prefecture in 1912. In 1958, just 10 years after marrying the daughter of Korai-zaemo...

A very interesting chawan (tea bowl) dating from the Korean Joseon period (Richo in Japanese; 1392-1897). This particular piece appears to date from the 16th/ 17th century and comes with a very old box which appears to have been furnished sometime in Edo. The light creamy crackled glaze is smooth in the hand and fine hairline fractures radiate along the sides of the bowl contrasting nicely with the gold repairs. Such pieces have long been favored by learned cha-jin (tea people) and are quite pri...

Cloisonné potiche with a hexagonal shape, embellished with delicate floral decorations on reserves held by silver threads with geometric motifs. The lid features a spherical socket. Origin: Japan Period: Meiji end of 19th century. Dimensions: 13 x 9.5 cm. State of conservation: Very good

Cloisonné vase, with base and edge in silver, decorated with polychrome enamels held by a silver thread, depicting a pheasant on the banks of a watercourse surrounded by blooming cherry blossoms and chrysanthemums. The pheasant, chrysanthemums and cherry blossoms are three significant elements in Japanese culture, each of which carries with it a distinctive symbolism and importance. Origin: Japan Period: Meiji, early 20th century. Dimensions: 25 x 15 cm. State of conservation: Ve...

One of the most important Japanese potters of the 20th century, skilled in an impressive number of styles, today his pieces can be found in museum collections around the world. The kintsugi used here was recently reapplied by a top artisan and uses copper, which, with age should display a blueish color to complement the cobalt blue of the dish.

Born the second son of the head priest of Kamigamo Shrine in the north of Kyoto (very close to our gallery), Kitaoji Rosanjin (1883-1959) is...

A unique and distinctive tea bowl constructed of half porcelain and half stoneware—the swirling blue spirals and accents serve to captivate the eye and the imagination, making this artist’s works instantly recognizable.

A native of Kyoto, Hashimoto Machiko runs a small studio and kiln where she creates a wide range of ceramic works—including functional pieces such as the chawan featured here—as well as a number of purely decorative and experimental pieces which most would ag...

Decidedly modern, Japanese, and minimalist; the textures, colors, and form of this fascinating tea bowl all suggest inspiration from natural objects. The grey, smooth, polished interior of the tea bowl contrasts nicely with the textured ferrous dark ochre ash glaze on the exterior. Somewhere between an ido and wan-nari shape, it rests surprisingly well in the hand and allows the user to contemplate the mysteries of nature through their tactile and visual senses.

Widely exhibited bot...

Original Japanese color woodblock print in the dai oban size by the Japanese artist Natori Shunsen (1886-1960), showing Kataoka Nizaemon XIII as Momoi Wakasanosuke in the Chushingura play from the series "Portraits of Male Actors in Various Roles". Published in 1953 by Watanabe Shozaburo with mica background. Signed Shunsen with artist's seal Shunsen, red circular publisher's seal Watanabe, titled and dated Showa 28 in the margin. Dimension: paper 37.9 cm x 26.1 cm, image: 37.1 cm x 25.2 cm. Co...

Description: A Cizhou porcelain dog was handcrafted by the rural potter. Intriguingly molded in a simple form and adorned with iron mottles on the surface, the dog stands on his feet in a cute way. Probably a toy piece for the children of the tribes people, this small dog still can be a joyful addition in your collecting fantasy. Obvious crackles were yielded due to age. Date: Yuan Dynasty (13th Century), Length: 6.6cm, Condition: The glaze fret was original and was happened before firing.

Description: A toy whistler from Chang-sha kiln of Tang dynasty was kept well only with glaze degradation. It was molded and applied with brownish color and straw-colored glaze. Height: 5 cm

Description: A Qingbai box with cover which decorated as a mandarin duck was painted with splashed russet glaze. In pale blue hue, beautiful crackles spread all over the surface. Date: Southern Song (1127-1279) Height: 5.5cm Condition: Touch-ups had been done only on the glaze in two parts separately at the rims of basin and cover.