Share a photograph of your favorite matcha chawan (teabowl)

[Victoria]

Ohhhh nice Seeker. A few minutes of indecision cost me that one! Ha!
It's cool that you have matching now.

[Herb_Master]

You mean you would actually allow me to hold it? Several things could happen as I see it.

Sometimes when I use a more expensive/special ocassion kyusu, etc, I literally have a momentary jitters. I first noticed this at Ito en in NYC when I picked up a rather humble looking kyusu that was casually sitting on a display shelf. A tiny kyusu made of simple red clay. Then I saw the 400 $ price tag. I almost shook the lid off, had to grab it with both hands and put it back on the shelf.

Sooo, does the offer still stand.

I had the same jitters in KL in Purple Cane, I was between tea tasting and wandering round the store examining $150-$250 Pewter Caddies and $80-$200 teapots - I took down a gorgeous looking teapot from the top shelf - I held one hand on the lid as I turned it over to examine the price tag - only to discover an awful lot of extra 0s at the end of the price.

I chickened out - and asked one of the staff to replace it

[Chip]

At the time, the most expensive kyusu I had ever seen was less than $100. My most expensive one was around $40 and almost bullet proof.

This looked like a cheap tiny clay kyusu to me. As I picked it up, it was sooo flippin' light (I am sure extremely thin walled), I was so unprepared for that and the lid bounced a bit as I adjusted to its lightness. This certainly heightened the fear factor.

It was possibly made by one of those highly skilled craftsman on Hojo's site.

Hmmm, seems I steered this off topic ...

[woozl]

You mean you would actually allow me to hold it? Several things could happen as I see it.

Sometimes when I use a more expensive/special ocassion kyusu, etc, I literally have a momentary jitters. I first noticed this at Ito en in NYC when I picked up a rather humble looking kyusu that was casually sitting on a display shelf. A tiny kyusu made of simple red clay. Then I saw the 400 $ price tag. I almost shook the lid off, had to grab it with both hands and put it back on the shelf.

Sooo, does the offer still stand.

No worries mate,
We will sit ya on a bean bag chair, in front of some peanuts, covered by bubble wrap.

[Mrs. Chip]

Sorta back to topic, new chawan on the way to our home, pictures will be posted upon arrival!

[Robert Fornell]

I happened to stumble across this thread today and thought that I'd like to be permitted to add a few comments regarding a chawan that Seeker purchased from me and was the subject of conversation here earlier last month.

As Bonjiri most aptly stated in one of his posts, chadougu have, mainly since the end of the war, been getting smaller in size due to the ranks of Sadou practitioners in Japan of which women are now in the large majority. This is especially true of the production ware dogu which are found for sale at all department stores thoughout Japan. If one were to look at work by potters showing in galleries however, sizes for a Mino style chawan like the one Seeker acquired from me run from around 11cm to 13.5cm while Ido syle chawan run from 13cm or so up to 16cm. Chawan come in a multitude of shapes and sizes, made by potters of varying shapes and sizes for all types of users which keeps Sadou evolving as the living practice it is. The work of Nakamura Kohei and the current Raku Kichizaemon are a great examples of this. Both attempt to move the vernacular forward while working from tradition and due so splendidly. Nakamura's work is chawan meets Ken Price's early 80's cups, while most here are probably familiar with Raku-sans latest work.

The scale which is most comfortable for me to work in is similar to what was typically found in the Momoyama era, as I've found that if the work is reduced in size it loses it's strength/interest as a chawan while conversely if the size is increased (ie. Miwa Jyusetsu) it starts to become an abstract of a chawan and takes on almost sculptural qualities. Finally, as a potter, sometimes I almost dislike naming pieces ie. "chawan" or "yunomi" or "guinomi" or "ramen bowl" as it places a definition of use that doesn't necessarily need to be there as I typically will eat cereal out of a ramen bowl and drink sake from a yunomi or chawan.

Your patience with my ramblings is most kindly appreciated.

cha 5a.jpg (85.85 KiB) Viewed 761 times

[woozl]

Thanks for the info.
Love to learn about these details.

[Tead Off]

I happened to stumble across this thread today and thought that I'd like to be permitted to add a few comments regarding a chawan that Seeker purchased from me and was the subject of conversation here earlier last month.

I'm sure you would be very welcomed in the Artisan Potter's section of the board where Bonjiri and Michael Coffee both post works and commentary. I've often admired your work. I'm sure some of the posters here would even be interested in buying things from you.

[Tead Off]

I happened to stumble across this thread today and thought that I'd like to be permitted to add a few comments regarding a chawan that Seeker purchased from me and was the subject of conversation here earlier last month.

I'm sure you would be very welcomed in the Artisan Potter's section of the board where Bonjiri and Michael Coffee both post works and commentary. I've often admired your work. I'm sure some of the posters here would even be interested in buying things from you.

I see you've already joined!! You'll be an excellent addition adding another aesthetic to the mix.

[woozl]

Well I am back from vacation.
And you know I have a nose for warez.
So,on an off day we are cruising the back woodz of Maine.
Stopping for cool stuff.
So, after chasing pottery signs all day,
it's 4:20 in the pm
and we are chasing "firesidepottery" in circles.......
arguing all the way "...no you took a wrong turn.....no the sign said"...etc..
Then we see a different sign for Rockport pottery (not at all what we we were had been circling for).
Down a small track we go.......and..Satori








More to follow

[tingjunkie]

Hooray for my home state of Maine! There are several great pottery studios up there.

[Seeker]

Beautiful red!

[woozl]

As Frank Zappa would say "Well, here's some more"






Rockport ME. Pottery

[Chip]

Nice aquisitions Woozl. The red is so rich, luxurious, while the other is so earthy and approachable.

Enjoy.

[woozl]

One more to follow....I call it the Taco Bowl