Tea bowl, possibly Hagi ware

Tea bowl, deep, irregular-ovoid; high spreading foot. Eight spur-marks inside. Kohiki technique. Goki type.
Clay: hard, grayish, sonant.
Glaze: White slip under translucent crackled glaze, which appears bluish-gray. Outside roughened, interior smooth. Brown tea stains on interior.

Historical period(s)
Edo period, 18th century
Medium
Clay
Style
Hagi type ware
Dimensions
H x Diam: 9 × 14.3 cm (3 9/16 × 5 5/8 in)
Geography
Japan, Yamaguchi prefecture
Credit Line
Gift of Charles Lang Freer
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art
Accession Number
F1904.324
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Ceramic, Vessel
Type

Tea bowl

Keywords
Edo period (1615 - 1868), Hagi ware, Japan, tea
Provenance

To 1904
Yamanaka & Company, to 1904 [1]

From 1904 to 1919
Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Yamanaka & Company in 1904 [2]

From 1920
Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [3]

Notes:

[1] See Original Pottery List, L. 1324, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives. The majority of Charles Lang Freer’s purchases from Yamanaka & Company were made at its New York branch. Yamanaka & Company maintained branch offices, at various times, in Boston, Chicago, London, Peking, Shanghai, Osaka, Nara, and Kyoto. During the summer, the company also maintained seasonal locations in Newport, Bar Harbor, and Atlantic City.

[2] See note 1.

[3] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920 upon the completion of the Freer Gallery.

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

Charles Lang Freer 1854-1919
Yamanaka and Co. (C.L. Freer source) 1917-1965

Description

Tea bowl, deep, irregular-ovoid; high spreading foot. Eight spur-marks inside. Kohiki technique. Goki type.
Clay: hard, grayish, sonant.
Glaze: White slip under translucent crackled glaze, which appears bluish-gray. Outside roughened, interior smooth. Brown tea stains on interior.

Label

With its deep hemispherical body and small splayed foot, this bowl imitates the appearance of so-called Goki bowls made to order for Japanese clients at the Wakan kiln near Pusan between 1639 and 1717. A coating of thin white slip accentuates the intentional texturing of the exterior wall.

Published References
  • Daniel Rhodes. Clay and Glazes for the Potter. Arts and Crafts Series New York. pp. 80-81.
Collection Area(s)
Japanese Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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