Wood-fired Shino Ware Miniature Tea Bowl

A miniature tea bowl, meticulously hand-pinched. The fundamental tones of Shino ware, white and orange, transition from a soft orange to a deeper brown. Some pieces exhibit a blush of vermilion within the white, while others possess a warm, jade-like luminescence. The glaze reveals unpredictable streaks of vermilion and orange-red from the kiln's fire, along with pockmarks resembling orange peel and a subtle worm-eaten effect. These textures create a dynamic interplay of depth and variation across the ceramic surface. The marks of the potter are evident on each piece, a testament to their aesthetic sensibility, life experiences, and intimate connection with the art of tea. Whether in its simple white form or the classic Shino, these tea wares hold an irreplaceable value within the art and culture of ceramics. **The glaze, like delicate snow, combined with a semi-translucent, substantial feldspathic glaze, defines the unique, serene simplicity of Shino.** The origins of the name "Shino" are varied. The most common theory attributes it to the style of pottery favored by the 15th-century Japanese tea master Shino Sōshin. Shino ware is a type of daytime tenmoku, distinct from its black tenmoku counterpart due to its foundation of white feldspathic glaze. The emergence of white Shino marked a revolutionary innovation in Japanese ceramic history. In the late Muromachi period, two daytime tenmoku tea bowls owned by the influential tea master Takeno Jōō were highly prized. One was passed down to the Maeda family of Kaga, and within its original wooden box, a note by Sen no Rikyū reads "Jōō and Daytime Tenmoku." The other was later possessed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Though their forms differed, both were finished with a white glaze mixed with a touch of ash, a characteristic also found in Momoyama period Shino ware. **A perfect embodiment of Wabi-sabi aesthetics.** Wabi-sabi is the beauty of imperfection, impermanence, and incompleteness. It is a beauty of modesty and humility, and a beauty of spontaneous elegance that defies convention. - Leonard Koren https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4815/31216576347_2c58846d37_b.jpg Wood-fired ceramics possess a rustic, warm quality in both appearance and use. The pursuit is for naturalness, simplicity, and substance. The completion of a wood-fired piece relies heavily on the potter's physical exertion, technical knowledge, adaptability, and aesthetic judgment during the creation and firing process. **Replicating an identical piece is an impossible task.** https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4824/45243548915_59cf41c8d6_b.jpg Controlling a wood-fired kiln is significantly more complex than an electric kiln. Factors to consider during firing include: climate, firing schedule, kiln placement, temperature, wood size and moisture content, heating rate, the balance of wood and air supply, carbon buildup management, stoking techniques, and adapting to the kiln's characteristics to achieve the desired outcome. https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4867/44338837570_552671a4b3_b.jpg **Handcrafted and wood-fired. The surface may not be absolutely flawless. Perfectionists, please refrain from purchasing. Thank you for your understanding.** **Material** Ceramic. Each batch of clay is personally mixed using raw minerals. The products are exported and have passed import customs quality inspections. Non-toxic, non-polluting, environmentally friendly, and sustainable. **Origin/Manufacturing Method** Taiwan / Handmade