The natural ash glaze gradates from a light-glossy grey on one side to a blueish grey on the other. The foot of the bowl is unglazed at the base and shows traces of ferrous-rich clay in the form of an orangish hue. The mouth of the piece is somewhat oblong giving it an attractive shape and the rough texture and ash deposits in places give this bowl a weighty presence...

Please check our new category 'Vintage Tea Bowls', where we present once in a while high quality vintage chawans. This is a vintage Japanese hand-shaped pottery tea bowl of Seto ware, which was made about 50 years ago.

The seal of the potter is stamped on the bottom. Very artistic Tenmoku glaze.

Size: 8,8 cm height x 13 cm in diameter...

A lovely Shino tea bowl fashioned from coarse, iron-rich Mino clay and covered in feldspar glazing. The crackled glazing along with the elongated kutsugata shape (shoe shape) are very typical of this type of Shino-ware and these elements compliment each other nicely...

A lovely Shino tea bowl fashioned from coarse Mino clay and covered in a crackled feldspar glazing. The front and sides of the bowl are decorated with paintings of abstract foliage resembling Iris leaves and the base of the bowl is unglazed, displaying rough clay...

The creator of this lovely Hagi chawan, Hirose Tanga (b. 1939) is the master-potter of Tenpozan kiln in the city of Hagi. When I acquired this piece I thought it reminded me of bowls produced by Yoshida Shuen (apprenticed under NLT Miwa Kyusetsu). As it turns out, Yoshida worked alongside Hirose in establishing Tenpozan and in training young potters in the art of “oni” Hagi which utilizes a rough textured clay and a milky translucent glaze (like the bowl shown here)...

This striking chawan is a fine example of Oni Shino (carbon trap and natural ash glazing) that Tsukigata is so well-known for. Coining the term in the mid-50’s after countless failed experiments—which ultimately culminated in the discovery of this unique style of pottery—“Oni” translates roughly to demon or ogre...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Occasionally as I’m browsing through the temple markets of Kyoto or perusing backstreets tea-ware shops, an attractive piece will catch my eye for no particular reason. When this happens, I typically buy it immediately without hesitation, trusting that I will be able to decipher the Chinese script and give it proper attribution through the course of my research. In this case, I was only able to make it half-way there...

This impressive han-tsutsu Shino chawan was made by the late 13th generation Mino potter Kato Seizo (1930-1979, Kagekiyo). Kato’s works are well-regarded throughout Japan and he has won a number of honors and awards over the course of his career as an artist. Not surprisingly, he is equally appreciated abroad and by foreign experts of Japanese pottery...

This brilliant Tenmoku chawan displays gold and flaxen hues interspersed with dark ash glaze. The piece rests upon an unglazed clay pedestal showing the iron-rich clay the bowl is formed from...

A very elegant and mature tsutsu style chawan created by Ito Tozan III (1900-1970), third generation of the Ito Tozan line of potters. Tozan, who at one time worked in the kiln of Hamada Shoji, learned pottery from his father Ito Tozan II (1871-1937) and his grandfather Ito Tozan I (1846-1920) from a very young age. Tozan III received many prestigious awards during his years as a potter and has the distinction of having his pottery held by the Imperial Household. Tsutsu chawan have an especia...

This magnificent Shino-yaki chawan, done in a rediscovered Momoyama period style, came from the kilns of one of Japan’s most celebrated and talented potters.

Arakawa Toyozo (1894 - 1985), designated in 1955 as one of but a handful of National Living Treasures, is best known for rediscovering lost techniques of pottery from the Momoyama and early Edo periods. In 1930 he discovered shards at the site of the ruins of an ogama style kiln at Mutabora proving that that Shino and Oribe g...

This chawan was 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 moved to Kameoka near the Yada shrine where it remains today.

Raku teabowls are made by hand, without the use of a potter's wheel. In the process of shaping the bowls, potters ha...

A dazzling Hagi-ware bowl with cherry petal and earthen tones made by one of Japan's great potters. The 14th potter of the Sakakura line of potters Sakakura Shinbei XIV (1917-1975) was designated an important human cultural treasure of Yamaguchi prefecture in 1972. For those interested, videos produced by NHK are available online detailing the work of the current Sakakura Shinbei XV, the kiln, and the surrounding estate.

This piece is 5.7 inches in diameter (14.5cm) and 3 inches tal...

A captivating bowl created by Kyoto potter Kawai Zuiho, most likely in the early 70’s. This bowl features a red undercoat which is visible in places through the greenish overglaze. The effect is quite striking and sure to attract the eye. With a convenient indent on the side, this bowl fits comfortably in the hand.

Kyo-Yaki is high-fired ceramic and pottery that centers around the Higashiyama district of Kyoto. Dating back to the 17th century, this style of pottery stems from the...

A charming akaraku chawan done by third generation potter Kato Ryusei. This piece was fired at the Akahiko Kama which has produced pottery in Aichi prefecture since 1956 and who have the distinction of being commissioned not only by the Showa Emperor and Empress but also by the later Heisei Emperor.

With a soft luminance and subtle charm, this piece would be an valued addition to the collection of any budding tea practitioner.

The bowl is 4.7 inches in diameter (12cm)...

A beautiful Hagi-yaki chawan done by well-known artist Kaneda Keien (1949-). Keien is an 8th generation potter who has been producing works for over 40 years and is the winner of several awards for excellence. A distinctive feature of his works is that they utilize an iron-rich soil collected on the island of Mishima in the Sea of Japan. Pieces made using this soil tend to display a soft cherry petal hue which gives these bowls an excellent “keshiki” or what might be referred to as a “cera...

This chawan was 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 moved to Kameoka near the Yada shrine where it remains today.

Raku teabowls are made by hand, without the use of a potter's wheel. In the process of shaping the bowls, potters ha...

A mature work by an artist who’s career as a potter has spanned over 55 years. This beautiful white Hagi bowl by Takenouchi Akihiro (1937-) displays a quiet elegance that sets the mind at ease.

Takenouchi is a member of the Japan Arts and Crafts Association and the winner of various prizes and awards for pieces he produced at the Sousou kiln which he established in 1967.

The piece is 4.5 inches in diameter (11.5cm) and stands 3.7 inches tall (9.5cm) and comes with a ...

A captivating piece described on the box as “aka e sakana bun” which can be loosely translated as, Depiction of Fish with Red Overglaze. Okuda (1920-1999) was a student of both Hamada Shoji and Kawaii Kanjiro and his kiln was visited by a number of well-known artists including the likes of Bernard Leach. A distinctive style following the mingei or, “folk craft,” movement of the mid-20th century, this piece is a delight for the eyes and functional in the hand.

The bowl is 4.7...

An original piece by the second in the line of Choraku potters. This bowl is stamped twice on the side and once on the pedestal with the mark of Ogawa Choraku II (1912-1991).

The Choraku line began when a student of Kichizaemon XI (Keinyu) and Kichizaemon XII (Konyu) opened an independent kiln in Kyoto in 1904. The line was officially given the name Choraku in 1906 by Choyuken, the head of a very influential tea ceremony association. Red Raku chawan are a favorite of tea enthusiast...

This attractive e-Shino bowl (“e†meaning picture) bears a pine-needle motif on the front surrounded by fields of dazzling ochre and white.

Fired in the kilns of Kato Kageaki (1899-1972), this Shino bowl is from one of the oldest traditions in Japanese pottery. Kageyaki was the 12th generation of Mino potters known for their distinctive styles of Shino and Oribe pottery. He was a great potter in his own right who was designated as a Human Intangible Cultural Treasure...

This remarkable tea bowl is from the kilns of Yoshida Shuen (1940-1987)—an apprentice of Miwa Kyusetsu (1910-2012) who was awarded the status of Living National Treasure in 1983. It features a warm crackled glazing with a white translucent overcoat that beads in areas.

Hagi-yaki has a tradition stretching back over 400 years and is a high-fired stoneware type of pottery. Hagi-ware is prized for its subdued colors and classical features, especially the glazing, which is often clea...

Very beautiful Kinsai Iroe Shino ware tea bowl, signed and inclosed in its original wooden box. It was made about 60 years ago and it is decorated with a shiny gold leaf design and images of grass and plum trees.

The bowl is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks or restoration. Signature on base.

Size: 8 cm height x 11 cm in diameter.

Shipping included

Fantastic tea bowl by Kingyoku Nakata, the best specialist of Chibu art, made 40 years ago.

This bowl is designed with a granular white painting called 'Shiro (white)-Chibu, which is very rare in Kutani. (Ao (blue)-Chibu was made more often. Please take a look on an Ao-Chibu Tea Bowl - our item # 0188)

Beside the Shiro-Chibu there is a golden arabesque design, which is called Kin-Karakusa.

The Tea Bowl is offered together with its original wood box.

This is a vintage Japanese pottery tea bowl of Hagi ware, which was made by the great potter, the 14th Shinbei Sakakura (1917-1975) about 60 years ago. The glaze has a variaton of light red and grayish colors, intermitted by golden lines of the kintsugi.

He was one of the greatest potters of Hagi ware, who was identified as an important human cultural treasure of Yamaguchi prefecutre, Japan in 1972.

The seal of the potter is stamped on the bottom.

This tea bo...

Mint and elegant tea bowl by one of the greatest potters, Rokubei Kiyomizu VI.

This Kyoto-yaki item was made 70 years ago. It has a tasteful painting of pine on it. On the bottom you find Kiyomizu's seal. The tea bowl will be delivered with its original signed wood box.

The Kiyomizu family potters managed one of the most productive workshops in Kyoto’s Gojozaka district throughout the second half of the Edo period. From the Meiji they began producing tableware for expo...

Modern Hagi Chawan By Miwa Kyusetsu X (Kyuwa) (1885-1981)

The rough white Hagi clay with fairly big enclosures is expertly thrown into half cylinder shape (hanzutsu); The light feldspatic hagi glaze turning to yellow beige; inside the foot ring stamped Kyusetsu.

Many of Miwa's chawan have a split cross footring called a warekodai that was favored by busho chajin (warrior tea men); it traces its origins to Korean chawan. This chawan has a rare warekodai with only one spli...

This is a tea bowl of Japanese OHI pottery ware, which was made about 50 years ago by famous Chozaemon Ohi (1901-1986).

It has a fantastic black glaze. The work and the box has the sign of the 9th. Chozaemon Ohi. His name is inherited from the Edo era.

The Ninth Chozaemon was the son of the Eigth Chozaemon who had been making tea utencils from age sixteen until his death at age eighty-six. At 26,he received his title of Ninth Ohi Chozaemon following after his father. In...

This is a wonderful Kanbishi chawan of Living National Treasure Potter Arakawa Toyozo with its original signed wooden box.

It is in mint condition with no cracks and no repairs.

Size: 5,3 inches x 4,9 inches x 3,0 inches

Toyozo Arakawa (1894 - 1985) rediscovered the techniques of manufacturing Shino glazes first perfected during the Momoyama and Edo periods. Arakawa also proved that these legendary ceramics originated in his native Mino province (not Seto as pr...

A tetsu-yu chawan by greatest Kanjiro Kawai with signed box.

Mint, no cracks or repairs.

Size: 8,6 cm height, 13,1 cm diameter.

No ceramic artist of the Showa approached Kanjiro Kawai (1890-1966) for creativity and artisanship. Kanjiro was a true artist by nature, and together with Hamada Shoji, set a pattern of study for modern potters. After graduating the Tokyo School of Industrial Design, he came to study in Kyoto, eventually establishing his own kiln on the ...

Splendid Japanese incense container, also known as kogo, used for tea ceremony. The persimmon has a small lady bug sitting near the head of the persimmon. The incense container contains an inscription reading: Rakushisha, which is a small hut in the Sagano district of Kyoto. The hut was the summer home of Matsuo Basho's disciple, Mukai Kyorai. The hut was given the name when a hurricane blew all the persimmons off the trees planted in the estate. Ceramic incense containers are used during the f...

Japanese bamboo hanging flower container with inscription and signature on the back. The title of the piece is, TATEDORI or "rain gutter" and is signed by a person named, Souyo. The title invokes the Japanese aesthetic of wabi sabi along with the natural patterns seen on the bamboo surface. Age: 20th century. Size: Height: 16.5" Width: 2.75" Length: 3"

Kogo (Incense Container) by Kawai Takeichi; Kyoto, 1972. Dark green glaze. 2.25"(5.75cm) square x 1.75"(4cm) high. This piece was acquired on a visit to the Kawai pottery on August 9, 1972 and has had one owner since then. Kawai Takeichi (1908-1989) is the nephew of legendary Mingei (Folk Craft) Movement potter Kawai Kanjiro (1890-1966;) who along with Yanagi Soetsu, Hamada Shoji, Bernard Leach, and others were the first-generation leaders of this movement. Kawai Takeichi began his apprecticeshi...

Wonderful Japanese tea bowl RAKU ware. This bowl was made between 1900 and 1940. Excellent condition. It has an exquisite contrast of colours, great form and glazing The potter's mark is in the bottom. RAKU is a light weight ceramic ware with a long history in Japan and particularly prized in the tea ceremony. RAKU means happiness, pleasure, enjoyment, satisfaction. Size: 4.5" X 3.3". Weight: 330gr.