Here is a real beauty. Perfect in form, shape and design: Ao-Oribe (Green Oribe) Chawan from the early stage of Edo period. Little distorted half cylinder shaped (kutsugata) tea bowl with slightly flaring mouth made of light, unrefined Mino clay.

The expertly thrown body was trimmed with a potters knife and covered with the typical green copper oxide glaze inside and outside...

Very beautiful Kuro Oribe Chawan of early Edo period:

Only very little distorted half cylinder shaped (hanzutsu) 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, leaving an unglazed 'window' on one side. The 'window' is decorated with chidori (plovers) flying over an irrigation wheelin iron oxide glaze which has then been covered with a clear ash and feldspar glaze...

A cultural treasure - our oldest and most important mizusashi: wonderful Chosen Karatsu Tataki Mizusashi from the Momoyama Period (1573 - 1603). It was perfectly thrown first into a cylinder shape and then squeezed and paddled into a distorted pear. Iron oxide glaze has been poured inside and out.

On the rim a blueish rice straw ash glaze has been applied in the typical Chosen Karatsu fashion. The mizusashi is supplied with a tailor made lacquer lid of a somewhat later date...

Rough unrefined Shigaraki clay, with little iron oxide, thrown into the shape of a small tsubo called 'uzukumaru'. The unglazed body was scorched by the fire to a beautiful red discolouration. The bottom plate shows two stripes called 'geta', which held the pot in place on the hand wheel. Some flying ash has created a natural glaze on the shoulder and the mouth...

Unusual Japanese Edo Period (1603-1868) Mino-Yaki Tea Bowl, rough and wild with a Chinese Tang Dynasty reminding Sancai green glaze and a splendid wabi-sabi atmosphere.

It has very aesthetically pleasing natural inborn kiln cracks, very heavy (0,5 kg) and ready for use for the tea ceremony. This tea bowl is a delight to hold in the hand

Great antique condition with no repairs.

Size: 7,3 cm height x 13,5 cm in diameter.

This is pure antique Edo: Wan-shaped tea bowl made of dark, iron oxide bearing, sandy Karatsu clay. The thinly thrown body is covered with the typical white, feldspatic Shino type glaze. It differs from the Mino Shino glaze by being glossier due to a higher ash content.

Under the glaze a line was applied in iron oxide resembling the skin of a whale (kawakujira). Just the foot ring and its immediate surrounding was left unglazed. The glaze has a beautiful fine crazing...

Say the word 'Momoyama' to any Japanese pottery connoisseurs, and their eyes will inevitably light up. Most ceramic enthusiasts would give up any Saturday-night vice to own just one Momoyama Shino, Bizen or Karatsu guinomi (sake cup) or chawan (tea bowl). Here is another Momoyama item from our collection:

Cylinder shaped (hanzutsu) tea bowl made of light, fine, unrefined Mino clay - slightly discoloured by age and use, which has also enhanced beautiful, fine crazing...

Here we present a real old Ko-Karatsu Tenmoku Chawan with a wonderful yobitsugi repair. It dates from the early stages of the Japanese Azushi-Momoyama Period (1573-1603)...