Kohiki Chawan — White Slip, Iron Speckle, Spiral Well

This tea bowl (chawan) is made in the kohiki (粉引, "powder-drawn") manner: iron-bearing clay dipped in white slip and covered with a clear glaze, giving a soft dove-grey white. Fine iron specks and small pinholes come through from the clay beneath, and faint horizontal brush and throwing marks remain visible under the glaze. Toward the foot the slip stops and the speckled toasted-brown clay shows through the glaze, and a thin brown line traces the rim where the slip runs thin.

Kohiki derives from Korean buncheong ware of the Joseon dynasty (15th–16th century), which Japanese tea masters prized for its plain, unpretentious warmth. Japanese potters have continued the technique ever since. Because the slip is slightly porous, kohiki bowls can slowly develop soft tea stains with use, known as amamori ("rain leaks"), a change many tea practitioners value. Soaking the bowl in water briefly before use helps control this.

The form is deep and rounded, with gently rising walls and a clean rim, set on a neat, slightly flared foot. Inside, a crisp spiral left by the potter's fingers turns down into the well. The foot rim is unglazed, revealing warm orange-brown clay, and the base inside the foot is glazed with a matching spiral.

Details:

• Origin: Japan, kohiki style (Korean buncheong tradition); kiln/artist unconfirmed

• Form: Deep rounded chawan, flared foot, spiral in the well

• Glaze: White slip under clear glaze, iron speckling and pinholes, brown clay showing at lower body and rim

• Foot: Unglazed foot rim, glazed base with throwing spiral

• Condition: Good secondhand condition — please see photos for any marks

• Dimensions: (Diam.) approx. 11.3cm x (H) approx. 8.5cm