A fabulous set of 2 matching Tenmoku-yu vases in black with striking rust-red spots over pale clay dating from the 19th century. They are 20 cm (8 inches) tall, 6,5 cm (2-1/2 inches) diameter and in excellent condition.
Tenmoku glaze is a high-iron, ash-based glaze developed in China and later refined in Japan, prized for its deep black-brown surfaces and natural oil-spot or hare’s-fur effects. The technique is as much about controlled chemistry and firing as it is about application. Traditionally fired in reduction (oxygen-starved kiln), reduction converts iron oxides, producing deep blacks and metallic effects. Controlled cooling is critical, the rate of cooling causing iron to crystallize at the surface. The technique rewards precision yet embraces chance—each bowl emerges with a surface that is never entirely repeatable, which is precisely why tenmoku remains so revered.
