Chawan Chawan Made of Raku Ware by Issui Takahashi

A warm pink to coral red runs through the glaze of this chawan, giving it an unusually vivid, almost iridescent appearance. Fine, irregularly distributed dark speckles and shimmering transitions to a delicate lilac tone bear witness to the spontaneous, barely predictable effect of the Raku firing process, in which every piece becomes a unique work.

The slightly irregular, hand-formed wall with its organic rim gives the vessel a pleasant, grounded feel that vividly embodies the wabi-sabi aesthetic of Japanese tea ceramics. Glossy and matte areas of the glaze alternate, catching the light in different ways. This chawan comes from Issui Takahashi and is delivered in a wooden box signed by the master potter. As a handcrafted unique work, it is ideally suited for preparing matcha and is at the same time an impressive collector's piece of Japanese ceramic art.