Honde Seto-Karatsu Chawan of early Edo Period - extremely rare

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.

This extremely rare chawan has a beautiful patina from many years of careful use. These types of bowls were produced in Karatsu during the first decades of the 17th century to cash in on the popularity of Shino bowls. Another highlight of this chawan is its aesthetic small gold laquer repair at the rim.

The Honde Seto-Karatsu chawan comes with wood box and shifuku.

Size: 5,4 cm height x 14,4 cm in diameter.