Matcha Bowl - Akikusa Chawan - Autumn Plants

A deep, rounded bowl in a cream-buff clay, the surface soft rather than bright, with a thin clear glaze over it.

The outside of the bowl is decorated with plants: fine dark outline, green leaves shaded with ochre, reddish stems. The plants are painted under an overglaze enamel, iro-e.

The foot is a cleanly turned ring standing proud of the base, the outside cut back with a broad bevel and a sharp V taken straight through the ring, a kiri-kōdai (切高台). The device came into Japanese tea ware from Korean pottery, and is left as a deliberate interruption in an otherwise even foot. Inside the ring the trimming spirals to a small central point, and a small oval kiln seal is impressed in the bare clay beside it.

Specifications:

• Style: Kyoto enamelled earthenware, Kyō-yaki (京焼)
• Decoration: autumn plants in raised overglaze enamel with gold, continuing onto the base
• Foot: kiri-kōdai (切高台) with a small impressed oval kiln seal
• Size: approx. 12 cm across the mouth, 7.8 cm high
• Condition: vintage, unused, from long-term storage
• Supplied with: a WAZA cloth and vintage cardboard box
• Attribution: Kiln unidentified