Thursday TeaDay 6/05/08

[Geekgirl]

I really don't know much about it. There is a matching(?) cup and saucer. The second cup has a delicate handle, and some blue. I inherited these things from my grandfather's estate. He collected all kinds of things, and nobody but me was interested in his asian stuff. I also have a small korean celadon vase that I'm using for tea utensils, and a few other unusual (non-tea) items.

The closest thing to it I've been able to find online is the arita porcelain on Artistic Nippon. Says that the pattern is cut then filled with a "secret crystal." I suspect my grandfather knew what it was, he was quite knowledgeable about glass, porcelains, and ceramics.

[Chip]

I really don't know much about it. There is a matching(?) cup and saucer. The second cup has a delicate handle, and some blue. I inherited these things from my grandfather's estate. He collected all kinds of things, and nobody but me was interested in his asian stuff. I also have a small korean celadon vase that I'm using for tea utensils, and a few other unusual (non-tea) items.

The closest thing to it I've been able to find online is the arita porcelain on Artistic Nippon. Says that the pattern is cut then filled with a "secret crystal." I suspect my grandfather knew what it was, he was quite knowledgeable about glass, porcelains, and ceramics.

I was wondering if it was one of those "rice cups"...not sure what they are called.

It is really unusual...and lovely...and of course special to you.

[Geekgirl]

I was wondering if it was one of those "rice cups"...not sure what they are called.

It is really unusual...and lovely...and of course special to you.

Thank you!!! a quick search shows that is exactly what it is: rice porcelain. These two items were in a box stored in a closet he probably wasn't able to get to for 20 years. (Long story.) So I don't know the age, but now I know what it is!

Yay!

[Chip]

I was wondering if it was one of those "rice cups"...not sure what they are called.

It is really unusual...and lovely...and of course special to you.

Thank you!!! a quick search shows that is exactly what it is: rice porcelain. These two items were in a box stored in a closet he probably wasn't able to get to for 20 years. (Long story.) So I don't know the age, but now I know what it is!

Yay!

Yay!

I was too lazy to look it up, but figured it was.

Awesome...I am sure he is pleased knowing that you are truly enjoying them. I know you will cherish his memory with each use.

[Victoria]

In my cup, evening edition:

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! I have been looking for a cup like that for so long!!

So, so, so, long you have no idea. Many years ago I bought a traditional blue one, but since that time I have been on a mission to find a plain one.

I just recently found this one but it is a big big and more like a rice bowl:


So then I buy this one and it is too small:


I feel like Goldilocks!!

[Salsero]

The closest thing to it I've been able to find online is the arita porcelain on Artistic Nippon.

Yes it was exactly the fact that I was oogling the Artistic Nippon ones on line that made your cup stand out. Thanks for sharing the story behind it.

[Katrina]

Apparently I had the kiss of death for teams in the playoffs this year. I start pulling for them and they'd immediately lose.

Then please,please,please start rooting for the LA Lakers in tonights basketball finals. Diehard C's fan here...

Go Lakers! Woo hoo!

See if that works for you.

It seemed to do the trick. Thanks for the help, Auggy! (From another Boston sports fan.)

And Geekgirl, thank you for sharing your beautiful photos. I think we have quite a run of artists on this board.

[trent]

My family regularly uses some rice-porcelain bowls, but I like the clean design of your cup alot better than the ones we have.

However, what really made me double take is this:

(click on the image).

I love how they put so many "secret crystals" in there and, regardless of price, I WILL eventually buy this cup. I love to admire hagi-ware etc... but this is one of the few pieces of teaware that has just made me stop and say WOW. Can you imagine what that would look like filled with deep green fukamushi on a sunny day. WOW. Sal was oogling for good reason.

EDIT: If anyone buys this, they are a TeaGod.

[Salsero]

If anyone buys this, they are a TeaGod.

I agree with you 100% on the TeaGod status and that it's just a question of time, but is it Hagiware? What exactly is this rice porcelain made of. I thought it looked like porcelain, but it's dawning on me that maybe it isn't.

[trent]

Rice-porcelain is just porcelain with rice pressed into it (rice is somewhat transparent so light shines through it.

Regarding the teagod cup, I have no idea what it's made of, but I trust Toru when he says that it's "a secret crystal." It looks a bit different than rice.

[Victoria]

The rice burns away in the firing. Then they fill in the holes with a clear lacquer type material and then glaze over it. The body is porcelain.

[trent]

Considering my answer was just based upon what I grew up thinking (i.e. assumptions, not fact) victoria is probably right.

[Salsero]

My family regularly uses some rice-porcelain bowls

As we get deeper into this topic, I am getting more curious about the bowls your family uses. If you get a chance, I (and likely others) would like to get a look at one of these bowls.

[Victoria]

This is the traditional look and similar to the ones I first owned. I love the look of the light coming through, so I began my search for plain white ones. It has been a long and dry search until recently finding the two new ones, and still the quest continues.
http://www.minggift.com/Merchant2/merch ... ry_Code=37