Catalog (28)

A flat and circular kogo – incense box – made out of skillfully turned pine wood, stained or thinly lacquered dark brown. On the inside of the cover are two red lacquer kao (seals) by a tea master for whom the piece was made.

Unsigned, Japan, early to mid-19th century

H 0.75 x diam 2.55 in.

Excellent condition

Comes with an inscribed wooden storage box: Cha, marugata, kogo (tea, circular shape, incense box).

Although neither the kogo, nor the storage box is signed, the work is reminiscent of works by the Komazawa Risai family of joiners who were so skillful that they were allowed to create utensils for the prestigious tea schools, such as Omotesenke. A very similar box signed Komazawa Risai 8th was recently (2023) sold in Kyoto, Japan.

Round chawan, bowl used in the tea ceremony, with straight sides and a foot with three incisions. The very fine clay has an incised décor of standing and flying cranes and three minogame, covered in a celadon green, translucent glaze with fine crackle.

Impressed seal next to foot: Akahadayama.

Akahada ware, Japan, prob. Meiji era, 1870s

H 2.8 x Diam. 4.25 in.

Two chips on the lip that were restored with silver over red lacquer which is now worn (one partially underglaze), one very small underglaze chip, several short vertical glaze cracks along the lip commensurate with age and usage.

The three incisions in the foot are typical for Akahadayama ware.

More images available upon request

Chawan, or tea bowl, for use in the the tea ceremony. Fine gray stoneware turned out rather thin of almost round shape, with a ‘soul’ in the bottom, standing on a bamboo shaped foot, a swirl inside the foot. Opaque yellow glaze with fine crackle covers the ceramic. Over the yellow a white slip hakeme brush stroke on the outside and on the inside.

Seto region, Japan, 19th century

H 3 x W 5.25 x D 5 in.

Two unprofessionally, but lovingly repaired chips at the lip. One on the inside, one on the outside. One ‘almost’-chip on the lip with frittings. Small glaze losses on the inside and outside and more so in the hakeme. Nevertheless good piece in stable condition.

More photos available upon request

Round tea bowl of more or less circular shape on a bamboo node foot. Fine cream-colored stoneware with decoration in the form of an abstracted character in slightly raised slip relief on opposite sides of the bowl. The bowl is covered in a light gray glaze on the inside, the outside is covered in a bright copper red glaze, turned brown along the foot.

No potter’s mark, but the bowl has strong resemblances to works by Kawai Kanjiro (1890-1966). The foot, the underglaze slip-trail decoration, the clay and the glazes are all pointing to the master. No storage box.

Japan, first half 20th century

H 3.6 x Diam. 4.25 in.

Mint condition

Chawan, tea bowl to be used in the tea ceremony, of distorted oval shape (kutsu or clog, or shoe-shape). Thick cream-colored stoneware that turned red during firing in the unglazed area, covered with a translucent greenish ash glaze that collected in the bottom and around the rim and is very thin around the sides. The sides are ‘rough’, giving a look into the clay.

Japan, Seto region, very early Edo period.

H 3 x W 5.5 in.

Excellent condition

Comes with a red silk pouch and a fitted storage box of wood, not inscribed.

Excellent size for smaller hands.

More images upon request

Chawan tea bowl, or perhaps a soup bowl or a mukozuke. Fairly thin stoneware modeled in the shape of a drum with 8 nails (protrusions) along the upper edge that would hold the drum skin in place. Deep green glaze. Eight vertical lines engraved and filled in with gold.

A triangular shape is cut out of the foot by way of a potter’s mark. In the center of the bottom a round Raku seal impressed.

Raku ware, Kyoto, Japan, first half 19th century

H 3.75 x Diam at widest point 4.5 in.

Frittings all along the top edge, darkened to make them less noticeable, frittings on the drum knobs, gold dulled and worn

From a private collection of Japanese ceramic in New Jersey

A set of 5 mid-size dishes in the shape of half opened folding fans. On the bottom of each a decoration of two wheels, floating in a river in iron brown underneath thick cream-colored opaque glaze, and the right-side corner covered in thick green glaze typical for Oribe. The inside structured through the impression of a muslin-like cloth.

The back is engraved to indicate the spokes of the fan. Unsigned.

Seto region, Oribe style, Japan, 19th century

H 0.75 x L 6 x W 4 in.

Excellent condition

Small kogo, incense box, in the shape of a crab in rest. Grayish brown grainy earthenware, much like Raku, with red glaze and with patches of green and white glaze. The eyes are accentuated with gold, as is a small area on it’s back.

Potter’s mark on the belly.

Japan, late 1700s.

H ca 1.25 x W ca 3 in.

Some of the gold rubbed, split in clay caused by firing at the rim of the lower section, which does not impact the stability of the piece. All in all very good condition

From the collection of Sandra Saltzman, New York

Midsize storage jar, tsubo. Greyish brown stoneware, with the typical white stone inclusions, partially bursting out through the surface. The ashes in the wood burning kiln settled during the firing onto the surface of the pot and melted, creating the beautiful brownish yellow ash glaze. This is a natural process that cannot be controlled by the potter beyond the decision of placement within the kiln.

Japan, Edo period, 19th century or a bit earlier

H 11.25 inches

Very good condition

Clog-shaped chawan, tea bowl to be used in the tea ceremony. Over a whitish fine clay a silky black glaze and crackled white slip over which a decoration of interlocked diamonds and rings in iron brown.

Seal impressed in bottom/underside: Juzan. Refers to the Oribe potter Mizuno Juzan.

Mino ware, Oribe style, Japan. Showa era, 1950s

H 3 x W 4.25 in.

Perfect condition

There are at least two generations of Mizuno potters going by the name Juzan. The seal most likely belongs to the second generation Juzan, who lived lived 1908-1978.

Small covered box in the shape of a clam shell. Cream-colored stoneware with translucent brown glaze, partially covered with opaque beige-colored glaze with blue and purple streaks. Bottom left unglazed. Takatori style. Japan, first half 20th century.

H ca. 1-1/4 x L 2-1/2 inches

Fine condition

Paper collection label with no. 106. From a private FL collection of incense boxes, water droppers and other antiques

Tea bowl of irregular shape. Deep dark brown clay covered in a greenish-gray glaze that leaves the bottom part of the bowl uncovered. The inside in the same tone with a brown patch. The rim covered with a brownish-green glaze. One looped line decoration in brownish green on the outside. A small patch at the inside of the bowl left uncovered. Karatsu ware, of the type ‘egaratsu’ (decorated Karatsu), Japan, Edo period, early 19th century.

H 2.75 inches, diameter 5 inches (6.9 x 12.6 cm).

Short firing crack, bottom a slightly pitted consistent with usage

Comes with the original inscribed tomobako (Egaratsu; chawan, ichiko) and cotton pouch. Both damaged due to usage

Ex collection R.B. Caldwell

Storage jar with tapering body, broad shoulder and slightly everted lip. Used for storing tea leaves.
Stoneware with some inclusions, pitted surface and natural ash glaze patches.

Iga ware, Mie Prefecture, Japan, Edo period, 17th or possibly a little later (early 18th century).

Comes with wooden storage box of a later date.

H 10-1/2 inches

Excellent condition

From the Collection of Osborne and Victor Hauge and their wives

Large, relatively tall chawan, as used in the tea ceremony. Light brown coarse stoneware covered with a celadon colored translucent glaze with brown speckles and with a purple and blue-green splash on the front. Unsigned. Japan, Aizu, Fukushima prefecture, Japan, Showa era, circa 1973.
Comes with the original fitted wooden tomobako, inscribed on the outside … chawan; on the inside signed ‘made by Ryoichi, 7th generation of the Munakata kiln’ and with the seal Munakata-gama (Munakata kiln).

H 3-1/8 x Dia 4-1/2 inches

Perfect condition.

Munakata Ryoichi (b. 1933). For more information on the artist (in Japanese), see www.munakatagama.net

Low tea bowl of irregular round shape. Raku-yaki with red glaze, decorated with black brushed-on spots and white patches, with fine crackle over all. Inside the foot a small area is left uncovered. Japan, Edo period, early 19th century.

. H 2-3/8 x W 5-1/4 inches

Minimal traces of usage, short crack

Very small stoneware chaire tea caddy, used in the tea ceremony during the colder months. Squat body with rounded shoulder and relatively wide mouth. Fine dark gray stoneware with yellow, brown and lavender colored glazes layered over each other and dripping down the body, with a fine thin crackle. Also glazed on inside. Seto ware, Owari Province, Japan, Edo period, 17th century or earlier.

H 2.25 inches.

Three brown lacquer repaired areas around the mouth, several longer and shorter very old vertical cracks, not in the least destabilizing the piece. All in all very good condition.

Provenance: Private collection of chaire, purchased at Christie's London, 2010; ex collection Louis Gonse; ex collection George Haviland; a catalog clipping comes with the piece, dating it to the 15th century.

Chaire with high, flat shoulder. Whitish gray stoneware with dark brown, partially transparent glaze with ochre colored splashes on shoulder, dripping down the body in thin clouds. Perhaps Seto region. Japan, 18th century.

H 3¾ inches

Some scraping of glaze on lip and body, consistent with age, all in all fine condition

Private collection of chaire (collection no. 54); bought from ‘private dealer’ (according to label inside piece); collection number in black lacquer written on bottom: 0-Ja-2-TOK-31-G

Irregularly shaped cylindrical chaire. Tea caddy used in the tea ceremony during the colder months. Dark brown or black glaze with one thick splash of yellow and green glaze. Footring. Raku style. Japan, 17th/18th century.

H 3¾ inches

Firing crack at lip, several old gold lacquer repairs at lip and foot and bottom, all in all fine condition

This probably was a drinking cup (mukozuke) originally and was converted into a tea caddy at some point.

Provenance: Private collection of chaire; purchased at Christie's South Kensington Japanese Art and Design Including Arts of the Samurai Wednesday 9 November 2011, Lot #81; Cleveland Museum of Art (paper labels TR2741; 17 146; and 17 146A); several other collection labels.