Vintage Japanese Chawan (1)

Japanese Tokoname-style stoneware chawan (茶碗) — red terracotta clay body with deep blue-grey gunmetal glaze

Vintage Japanese, Shōwa–contemporary

A hand-thrown chawan of generous proportions, the form straightforward and confident — wide mouth tapering to a low foot ring, the walls rising in a clean unbroken line. The clay body is a warm red-terracotta, left fully unglazed on the foot, base, and lower exterior where the glaze terminates in an irregular natural line. The glaze itself is a deep blue-grey to gunmetal, semi-matte on the exterior with a slightly more lustrous pooling on the interior — a tone that shifts between slate, charcoal, and deep teal depending on the light. Faint brush or tool marks are visible through the glaze on the exterior wall, giving the surface a quiet animation. The red clay body against the dark glaze is a combination long associated with Tokoname ware (常滑焼), one of Japan's Six Ancient Kilns, where the distinctive iron-rich red clay has been central to the tradition for centuries. Unmarked.

• Form: Chawan (茶碗); wide mouth, low foot ring
• Glaze: Deep blue-grey gunmetal; semi-matte exterior, glossier interior
• Body: Red-terracotta stoneware; unglazed foot and lower exterior
• Dimensions: Approx. 5.5" dia × 3.25" H (14 × 8 cm)
• Kiln: Tokoname-style; attribution to be confirmed
• Period: Shōwa–contemporary