Vintage Japanese Signed Tea Ceremony Ceramic Chawan Large White Tea Bowl

This is a ceramic bowl known as a chawan (tea bowl) used in a Japanese chado (tea ceremony). The white hand thrown clay is covered with a white orange peel glaze over a muted black plum blossom branch design on one side. It has a hand written signature of the artist on the bottom (see picture 11) and comes with professionally restored kiri wood box bearing a matching signature as well as a matching stamp on the yellow cloth that comes inside the box (see picture 1).

Suitable more for the winter season, it is a large deep styled chawan used to keep the tea warm longer (see enlarged pictures). This chawan measures 5 1/4" in diameter and about 3 3/4" tall (13.5 x 9.5 cm). This extra large Chawan would typically be used to serve multiple guests in a traditional Tea Gathering (cha no yu) Having been in storage with limited use for it remains in fine condition.