Ao-Oribe Chawan of Early Edo Period

Little distorted half cylinder shaped (kutsugata) tea bowl made of light, coarse, unrefined Mino clay. The expertly thrown body is covered with the typical green copper oxide glaze inside and outside. A 'window' on the side has been left unglazed for decoration in iron oxide engobe under a clear ash glaze in a pattern squares and triangles. This is a typical late Momoyama design...

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...

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)...

This is a unicum! We like to offer you one of the highlights of our collection. A very fine and aesthetically pleasing Karatsu Tea Bowl from the early stage of the Edo Period (1603-1868).

It has one of the most beautiful Kintsugi repairs we have ever seen. A mixture of lacquer and gold powder showing a traditional Karakusa pattern. There is no comparable bowl - a real unicum.

The 'kara' of Karakusa means 'China', while 'kusa' means 'plant'...

Surely an extraordinary confluence of circumstances must have come into alignment in order to bring this remarkable composition into existence. Done in the Korai style - referring to the heavy influence from Korean forms and glazing - this exquisite late Momoyama/early Edo period (1590-1620) Karatsu-ware tea bowl is really rare.

Regular formed wan shaped, showing fine finger marks from throwing...

Here is the next Japanese rare Momoyama Period collectible:

Slightly distorted cylinder shaped (hanzutsu) tea bowl made of light, fine, unrefined Mino clay.

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...

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...

Here we are proud to present another perfect early 17th. century chawan in museum quality.

Low cylinder shaped (hanzutsu) tea bowl made of light, fine but unrefined Mino clay with sone iron oxide content. The expertly thrown body is covered -with the exception of the bottom and the roughly cut foot ring - with the typical feldspatic Shino over an iron oxide based engobe. Akashino is just a variation of Nezumishino, due to the higher temperature (?) the glaze has turned red instead ...

If you are looking for incomparable chawans for your collection, let me introduce you this rare piece: Toujin-bue (Chinese flute) shaped tea bowl made of fine, refined clay with a high content of iron oxide. The rim has cut in the shape of a hissen (fudearai - brush washing vessel), a shape very popular in the mid 17th century and found on shigaraki and hagi tea bowls in the Kobori Enshu style. The clay shows few impurities. Over the clay a thin, transparent ash glaze haze been poured on on...

This is really a rarely seen example of antique Japanese ceramic art: impressive Katakuchi Chawan (tea bowl with a spout), made of unrefined Mino clay. Katakuchi chawans of that age are barely available on the antique market. It is the only one in our collection. So take your chance.

A good wood box is included. Shipping included, too.

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.

It is commonly said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, yet, in the real world, there seems to be a fair amount of congruity about what people consider beautiful, with most arguments about particular instances being about degree, not direction. This chawan is pure beauty - no matter from which angle you look at it.

Slightly distorted cylinder shaped tea bowl with a rounded brim, made of light, coarse, unrefined Mino clay in the early Edo Period around 1620. The expertly thro...