Kuroraku chawan from Hibiki-an: good value?

[fire_snake]

When it comes to teaware the options are legion. I decided to start off with a nice Matcha set and grow from there.

In my search for a pair of chawans I keep coming back to Kuroraku. I've looked at a number of pieces from various vendors around the net and Hibiki-an's offering seems to be my favourite so far:

http://www.hibiki-an.com/product_info.p ... auc14dqar0

It's gorgeous and *appears* to come from a good source. At least that's the claim. I assume they're all lead-free? Hibiki-an mentions their chawans are lead free. I hope this is standard for everyone and not just a feature!

I don't mind spending a bit if I'm getting quality. But I have never had a chawan before. In other words, I'm ready to appreciate something well-made but not yet ready to discern the good from the bad when it comes to teaware.

Even though it's my first purchase in earnest I don't want to spend money on junk. I want to be able to keep it for a lifetime and hopefully pass it down to others in my family one day. I'm ready to spend a bit more, but my budget is from $150 to $300 per chawan. I plan on getting a pair.

Any other Kuroraku chawans I should be considering?

Thanks,

Christian.

[Oni]

This chawan is the very same shoraku chawan that I own, and Horaido sells it for 6500 Yen, roughly 70 USD, hibiki sells it for double it`s price, try Horaido and Yuukicha, and Artisticnippon, and Maiko`s teaware shop for Japanese teaware.

[iannon]

or if you want to go "out of the box" even more check out some of Michael Coffee's
http://www.etsy.com/shop/shyrabbit?section_id=6143101

or Cory's
http://www.etsy.com/shop/corylum

Both make AMAZING stuff

[Chip]

or if you want to go "out of the box" even more check out some of Michael Coffee's
http://www.etsy.com/shop/shyrabbit?section_id=6143101

or Cory's
http://www.etsy.com/shop/corylum

Both make AMAZING stuff

+1, these guys both have topics under TeawareArtisans on TeaChat

They also understand the needs of the tea drinker! Really nice teawares! I think Michael Coffee/ShyRabbit is better stocked at the moment.

[fire_snake]

Love the replies, guys. Lots of choice.

Here's an interesting one:

http://www.trocadero.com/Dabido/items/1 ... .html#item

Not as jet-black as some of the others. Not a Shoraku product, either. Lovely in its own right. Is all the pitting on these raku bowls normal? Some seem to have more than others. I assume it's simply the way the glaze interacts with the medium.

Also here:

http://www.jmarket.com/Kuro-Raku-Tea-bo ... uraku.html

Why is the bottom unglazed?

I'm also wondering what qualifies this as a $400+ chawan when other Shoraku chawans are typically half the price?

[Tead Off]

When it comes to teaware the options are legion. I decided to start off with a nice Matcha set and grow from there.

In my search for a pair of chawans I keep coming back to Kuroraku. I've looked at a number of pieces from various vendors around the net and Hibiki-an's offering seems to be my favourite so far:

http://www.hibiki-an.com/product_info.p ... auc14dqar0

It's gorgeous and *appears* to come from a good source. At least that's the claim. I assume they're all lead-free? Hibiki-an mentions their chawans are lead free. I hope this is standard for everyone and not just a feature!

I don't mind spending a bit if I'm getting quality. But I have never had a chawan before. In other words, I'm ready to appreciate something well-made but not yet ready to discern the good from the bad when it comes to teaware.

Even though it's my first purchase in earnest I don't want to spend money on junk. I want to be able to keep it for a lifetime and hopefully pass it down to others in my family one day. I'm ready to spend a bit more, but my budget is from $150 to $300 per chawan. I plan on getting a pair.

Any other Kuroraku chawans I should be considering?

Thanks,

Christian.

I would advise you to be patient if you are set on a Kuroraku chawan. I see Shoraku chawans on many sites. This leads me to the assumption that this is a commercial kiln with various levels of production, some might not even be made by him but by his workers. I see Shoraku bowls often on ebay selling for much, much less than what you are willing to pay. If I were you, I might try to find another specialist with less 'commercial' presence who is also making ceremonial kuroraku chawan. You should be able to find something very good for the money you are willing to spend.

[fire_snake]

Tead:

This is my concern. I've been using a lot of my free time for the past few days researching Kuroraku.

The Trocadero listing I linked to seems interesting.

Really though, at the moment I'm a bit paralyzed in terms of what to do. I'm holding out for something special. Thanks for the advice. It's well taken.

[Chip]

Wow, very wide price range for black Raku Chawan-s. This is really out of my realm, I had no idea they could run so high in price.

While sencha usually gets kind of lost in a black cup, Matcha looks really incredible in a black chawan!!!

[fire_snake]

To make matters a little more difficult, most of the Trocadero pieces that might have been promising have been sold.

There's the one by Kitaguchi Museki, which *seems* at first blush to be very interesting, but I can't be sure. Apparently he had some of his wares on show in November. I couldn't find any evidence of that, however, aside from the claim below:

http://www.trocadero.com/Dabido/items/1 ... .html#item

This magnificent kuro raku-yaki chawan (black raku tea bowl) was made by a potter named Kitaguchi Museki, born in 1923. This potter works in the city of Nara, not far from Kyoto. His kiln is called Yamato-ryuo-gama. Kitaguchi Museki recently exposed in Tokyo (November 2010).
Black raku bowls have been some of the favorite vessels for the tea ceremony; the beautiful contrast of emerald tea with their dark robe is truly fascinating. More than 400 years ago, a Kyoto potter named Chojiro ( - 1592), guided by the great tea master Sen Rikyu (1522 – 1591), created a chalice that remains one of the standards of Japanese tea aesthetics. This particular chawan, with its radiant humbleness, is a great representative of the genre.

The chawan is signed, in perfect condition, and comes in a signed wooden box. Dimensions: 13 x 8 cm (5.2 x 3.2 in); weight 315g (11 oz)

[Oni]

http://www.maikoshop.com/kiyomizu/maccha01.htm
If I wanted something of very high quality I would check out these.

[JBaymore]

Wow, very wide price range for black Raku Chawan-s. This is really out of my realm, I had no idea they could run so high in price.

Chip,

Hate to say this, but most of the wares on the various commercial "tea" sites are actually toward the very low end of the Japanese ceramics spectrum for both quality and price range. When you start to get into chawan from more well known (in Japan) artists... the prices will surprise most westerners. $400 for a good chawan is actually on the very cheap side.

Teawares in Japan have a long tradition of being honored and valued and good stuff carries a lot of prestige for both the artist and the owner. While with the "burst bubble" of the Japanese economy the teaware (and other pottery) prices have come down from their astronomical levels of a number of years ago...... the good stuff is still not inexpensive. Many thousands of $ for a chawan for Chanoyu is not uncommon.

For example, a few minutes ago I was just handling a mizusashi here by Kanzaki Shiho (Shigaraki) that is priced at $6,000.00. And that is not one of his highest priced ones of those objects. (That pices is available for sale Was just in an exhibition we had at the college.)

If you want really good pots from Japan from excellent artists, I'd suggest that you contact Robert Yellin to source them for you. He really knows what he is doing and has the contacts with the artists. http://www.e-yakimono.blogspot.com/ But likely be ready for some "sticker shock". He only deals with really good stuff.

best,

............john

[fire_snake]

John:

Thanks for the lead.

Now that we're on this topic . . .

Robert Yellin's site:

http://www.japanesepottery.com/index.php

And an example of what's under discussion:

http://www.2000cranes.com/tea-ceremony-bowls.htm

[rdl]

But likely be ready for some "sticker shock".

and be ready for a "body shock" from the absolute beauty these pieces possess.

[fire_snake]

But likely be ready for some "sticker shock".

and be ready for a "body shock" from the absolute beauty these pieces possess.

That's for sure.


http://www.2000cranes.com/artists_Tamay ... /TA015.htm

[iannon]

Which is why, unless you just must have a Japanese one, I mentioned our home grown Artisans. Amazing works!
I have a Cory Lum CHawan..which I enjoy using more than my Vintage Hagi Chawan. And my D Michael Coffee Yunomi is a pleasure to hold and use. Just sayin..