Shiny glaze the color of burnt caramel covers this tactile pinch-formed small portable tea bowl (Tabi-chawan) from the 19th century Ohii Kilns of Kanazawa in the Kaga domain.Ohi ceramics are primarily made for use in the tea ceremony and they are all personally made by members of the Ohi family. The potters do not use a wheel, but shape the clay with their hands and special spatula-like toolsthat are handed down from generation to generation. The ceramics are made from soft clay and fired at unusually low temperatures. This bowl is no exception to these rules, it is pinch formed with a beautiful sculpted foot ring, on side which is the Ohii stamp impressed clearly into the clay.It is 9 cm (3-1/2 inches) diameter, 8 cm (just over 3 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
When the founder of the Urasenke style of tea ceremony, Sen-so Soshitsu was invited to Kanazawa as the lord of the tea ceremony for the Kaga Clan in 1666, the first Chozaemon came with him and established Ohi in Kanazawa.
Chōzaemon was the top disciple of Raku Ichinyū of Kyoto (4th generation master of the Raku family) and thoroughly understood the principles and techniques of Raku ware. The family has made tea ware for 10 generations, and the 11th generation is working at the family kiln even now.
