An Exceptional Antique Raku Tea Bowl with Gold Repair
- Artist:
- —
- Era:
- Edo
- Price:
- SOLD
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- Contact gallery
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Based on telltale signs, this extraordinary Raku tea bowl likely dates to the late Edo period (200+ years old). Crafted with meticulous care, its smooth, ebony surface exudes a sense of depth and mystery while its reddish hues gracefully traverse the bowl's contours—creating subtle variations of color that evoke a feeling of warmth. A “hasami-no-ato” can be seen where the piece was grasped with tongs when pulled from the kiln, a feature thought to enhance the character of Raku tea bowls. While its form, coloration, and overall aesthetics make this piece extraordinary in itself, it has the added distinction of being adorned with a very skillfully applied kintsugi gold repair. Very rarely do you find such a fortuitous combination—a rare gem indeed.
A pottery tradition dating from the mid-16th century, Raku pieces are made by hand, usually without the use of a potter's wheel; giving them a distinctly human feel. In the process of shaping the bowls, potters handle these pieces in much the same way that users will hold them as they drink from them. In this way, we can imagine a connection is formed between the creator of the tea bowl and the participants in the tea ceremony. For this and other reasons, Raku bowls are considered a favorite of tea practitioners across Japan, and, increasingly, around the world.
In fine antique condition, this piece measures 4.4 inches in diameter (11cm) and stands 3.2 inches tall (8cm). It comes with a period wood box and an intricate decorated wrapping cloth that also shows some age. Though the name and lineage of the potter are unknown, there is an endorsement on the underside of the lid declaring this a “Nonkau” tea bowl. Nonkau is another name for the third generation potter of the main Raku household, otherwise known as Dōnyu. While genuine pieces by Raku III (Dōnyu) tend to be exceptionally rare, extraordinarily expensive, and notoriously difficult to authenticate, there is a convention in Japan among tea-people and collectors of naming old, especially well-crafted tea bowls as “Nonkau” tea bowls. Though this is incorrect in almost all cases, it is meant as a sign of great reverence for the forebears of the tradition and for the tea bowl in question that they deem to be so exceptional it could have been made by one of the great old masters.
*** International shipping and insurance are included in the price.
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