Vintage Japanese Tenmoku-Style Chawan, Small Conical Matcha Bowl, Gold-Flecked Iron Glaze, Half-Glazed Stoneware

HALF IN GLAZE, HALF IN EARTH

One diagonal line divides this bowl. Above it, a glossy brown-black iron glaze, flecked with tiny points of gold, catches the light. Below it, tan stoneware with dark specks is left bare, so you can see and feel the clay. The shape is the classic conical form of a Tenmoku tea bowl, with a groove just below the lip and a stepped foot. This is a small, light vintage chawan (tea bowl) for matcha.

QUICK FACTS
• Type: tea bowl (茶碗, chawan) for matcha
• Form: Tenmoku shape (天目形), a conical bowl with a groove below the lip and a stepped foot
• Glaze: glossy brown-black iron glaze with fine gold flecks, applied to the upper body along a diagonal line
• Body: tan stoneware with dark iron specks, left unglazed on the lower body and foot
• Weight: small and light [confirm]
• Origin: Japan

WHAT IS A TENMOKU BOWL?
Tenmoku (天目) is named after Mount Tianmu in China, where Zen monks used black-glazed tea bowls. Japanese monks brought such bowls home, and the name stuck. A classic tenmoku bowl is deep and conical, with a groove around the lip and a small foot, glazed in a high-iron black glaze. Over time the word has come to mean any dark-glazed bowl made in this style, and it can refer to the shape, the glaze, or both. Famous tenmoku glazes include yuteki (oil-spot), with silvery iron crystals on a blue or black ground.

HOW THIS BOWL RELATES
This bowl follows the tenmoku form, with a groove below the lip and a stepped foot, and uses a dark iron glaze with gold flecks. Unlike classic tenmoku, which is fully glazed down to the foot, it is glazed on one diagonal half and left bare on the other, a modern design choice. We describe it as Tenmoku-style because we have not identified the kiln.

WHY A DARK BOWL?
Black and brown glazes frame the bright green of whisked matcha and give the tea a quiet, grounded mood.

DISPLAY AND USE
Sold as a collectible display piece. The glaze composition has not been tested, so we do not recommend using it for food or drink unless you have it tested. The bare clay can absorb moisture, so rinse gently, dry well and avoid soaking, dishwashers and abrasive pads.

CONDITION AND AUTHENTICITY
Sold as a vintage Tenmoku-style chawan, [origin and maker unconfirmed]. Glaze variation, iron specks and the exposed clay are part of its character. Please review all photos and ask any question before buying.

SHIPPING
Packed in double-boxed protection with foam and paper cushioning. Ships worldwide with tracking. Duties and taxes may apply on arrival.