Japanese Bizen Ware Yunomi Tea Cup Pair Wood Fired Hidasuki Goma Ash Glaze Showa 3"H

Vintage Japanese Showa Era Bizen Ware Yunomi Tea Cup Pair Wood Fired Hidasuki Goma Ash Glaze

Japan - Okayama Prefecture, mid to late Showa era

A well-matched pair of Japanese Bizen ware yunomi (湯呑) tea cups, wood-fired in the unglazed Bizen tradition and bearing the characteristic surface effects of kiln atmosphere and flame — each cup displaying a distinct but related palette of warm iron-red, deep purple-brown, and grey-green goma (sesame ash) glaze deposits across the shouldered cylindrical form. The left cup shows stronger hidasuki (fire cord) flash marks and red iron coloration; the right carries a broader zone of blue-grey reduction with amber-green ash accumulation at the lower body — the two complementary rather than identical, in keeping with the Bizen aesthetic of controlled natural variation. Both cups are thrown with slightly irregular, softly faceted walls, the rims uneven and organic, the foot rings small and cleanly cut. Interior surfaces are smooth dark stoneware. Both bear impressed potter's seals on the base; maker unidentified.

Dimensions: approximately 3"H × 2"W (8 × 5 cm) each Weight: >1lb

Bizen ware — produced in Okayama Prefecture and counted among Japan's Six Ancient Kilns — is fired without glaze in long anagama wood-firing sessions, the surface color and texture determined entirely by flame, ash, and kiln atmosphere. Yunomi of this quality, with strong hidasuki and goma effects and a maker's seal, represent the tradition at its most direct and satisfying.

Condition: Very good; no chips or cracks noted on either cup. Surfaces as fired. Sold as a pair.

A handsome and tactilely rewarding pair — the complementary fire effects make these particularly appealing for daily tea use or display.