This gallery contains 9 photos.
いつも窯開けは、今迄積み重ねてきた研究と努力の成果が明らかになる時。窯焚きに一週間以上体力と神経を注ぎ込んだ後、窯が冷めるのを待つ間、失った体力を回復しながら待つだけの一週間は、待ちどうしくもあり待ちどうしくもなしと言った中途半端な日々、大抵の窯出し日は待ち切れずに予定より一日早くなってしまいます。More additional texts (in English and Japanese) will follow shortly.
I am a collector of oriental art. I found this jar. I would like to know your opinion about it.
Is it Tamba ware? How old can it be?
The jar is about 30cm tall.
Thank you in advance for your opinion
Best regards,
Enrico Maestrini
I always have to say that it is not fair to ask my opinion without bringing and letting me examine a vessel in question. I believe that your enquiry is purely your own interest, so I give you my thoughts but it is better for you to take it to an expert in a musrum and ask him (or her). But please be prepared they are very busy people and may give you a straight negative verdict which you do not want to hear.
My verdict for a rather interesting jar is as follows; It is a very nice storage jar from Thailand. I am fraid it is not Tamba (Tanba in correct Japanese) jar. It could be old by looking at typical techniques applied on the jar. I have seen a very similar jar with the same tpye of ash glaze application plus natural ash from wood firing. It was a big old jar about 80~80 cm high at a posh antique gallery in London almost 20 years ago. Your jar looks like 50-100 years old. But again, I can not give you my opinion about how old it colud be, without bringing and showing it me. Only one thing I can say to you is ‘In Thailand they are still using the same clay, old wheels with century old skills and wood-fire to produce this kind of jars (even today!!). If you want to know more about it, you should let me handle it and pay a consultation fee. [Gas]
Thank you very much for your kind and interesting reply.
Best regards from Italy
Enrico Maestrini
[1st-4th; The jar images are sent from Mr. Enioco Maestrini]
[5th; A pot with similar glaze and feaures is from Thailand and it is said to be antique but it is dubious]
[6th; A storage jar is a real Tanba jar made between the late 15th and early 17th century called Momoyama Period]
Trevor wrote:
Hi Gas,
…… We’ve kept up the 4 month firing cycle and are scheduled to fire between Christmas and New Year’s. The last couple firings have provided a ton of information and some good pieces. Last firing was extended by 20 hours or so beyond our normal schedule. The pieces were once-fired and for the most part, came out nicely. The major problem we had was with one particular glaze…a shino, when applied to stoneware. It shivered off many of the pots where fly ash melted. In researching for a solution….it seems that there is a problem with the silica/flux ratio in the glaze…I think we need more flux either in the glaze or the clay body. Since the pieces are firing well other than with this glaze…we’ll be adding more feldspar to this glaze. Still not sure exactly how much more flux we will add…I’m thinking maybe 5%. If you have any insights on this issue…I’d be happy to incorporate into the next batch. …… Trevor
I went to see Svend at his solo exhibition (at Goldmark Gallery, Uppingham). I believe that he is the most experienced wood-firer in the U.K.. I asked him if he would let me have his Shino recipe and he kindly sent me his Shino information.
Hello Gas,
……My “Shino” is in fact not my glaze at all, nor was it ever meant to be a Shino. Michael Cardew was interested in nepheline syenite as a glaze material for getting bright red colours many decades before potters in the west became interested in “Shinos”. At Wenford he resurected the glaze because its other quality was that it held on glaze painted iron very well, giving crisp black/brown/rust. I used that glaze for many years when I used to paint my pots and fire them in saggars. He used to use a high iron ball clay to get reds and a low iron one to paint on.
The glaze I now use is:
20.0% china clay,
37.5% neph. sy.,
40.0% soda feldspar
2.5% soda ash.
I used to paint it on. Now I bisque and use it much thicker and for want of a better word,
I call it Shino. …… Svend
While I was acting rather slow, I received another mail from Trevor.
Hello again Gas,
…… The last e-mail was brief and wanted to follow up with additional information.
The modified glaze recipe worked well…no shivering.
Original Formula:
46.68 Kona Feldspar
13.28 Kaolin
39.94 Spodumene
10.62 Soda Ash
Revised (5% increase in Feldspar)
49.01 Kona Feldspar
13.28 Kaolin
39.94 Spodumene
10.62 Soda Ash
I can send you pics of the shivering and corrected glaze if you like. …… Trevor
Many thanks, Svend and Trevor! I am really grateful for your information.
I like Shino vessels with delightful lightness in my hands and the matt surface just like virgin snow. Using them for flower arranging and making green tea always give me an utmost pleasure.
I should not forget mentioning some important methods about Shino. It is not only the glaze but also every other factors would contribute to make lovely Shino in my opinion.
If you desire to achieve original Momoyama Shino features, it is crucial for you to have right kind of materials and techniques. You have right clay like Mogusa-tsuchi in Mino region, use saggars (for avoiding direct flames, smoke snd fly-ash), pack and fire your vessels in a wood-fire kiln very much like Momoyama style Ogama for a long firing and cooling period.
Apparently, the same Shino glaze is applied to cover Oni-Ita (from iron rich stone) for E-Shino (painted Shino), Nezumi Shino (grey sgraffito Shino) and Aka Shino (red Shino).
On the other hand, many potters in the U.K. and the States enjoy freely different kind of Shino. Their Shino seems to have gloss surface with the effects from wood-firings. I do not see anything wrong with shiny Shino with different recipe from Japanese ones. I myself still have been experimenting with Shino. I am more drawn to smoky Shino vessels in Anagama firings, and yet I might make saggers and use them in my kiln when I need to get snowy white textures.
Here’s 2 more Shino recipes from Patrick Sargent (1956-1998)
White Shino Glaze
75 Nepheline syenite
15 China clay
10 Ball clay
Orange Shino glaze
60 Nepheline syenite
40 Ball clay
….and I should be able to post Patrick ’s article soon as I am going to re-publish the article by Patrick Sargent from ‘Real Pottery’ (issue 57).
I am very much interested in Lisa Hammond’s experimental Shino in her soda firing. Lisa must have seen some really nice Shino chawan while she was staying in Mino (Japan) and working with Takahashi Ritsu (Mino potter now working in France) there. I understand that her soda kiln won’t be able to produce good white Shino but her soda firing (in her gas kiln) seemed to be working better with ‘red Shino’. She has been making many nice and exciting ’red Shino’ vessels.
Finally I am also looking forward to hearing about Shino glazes from other potters. (G.K)
A Japanese word ‘kin-tsugi’ can be literary translated as ‘gold-joint’ in English. It is one of traditional methods for repairing broken treasures and has been commonly applied for damaged antiques which were rather expensive and too difficult to find a replacement.
You can find how I learnt this old repairing method from a professional restorer on my ‘Anagama’ website – I later added my knowledge and skills from lacquer artisan friends in Wajima (famous lacquer town) Japan. My name is also mentioned as a technical adviser on lacquer in the V&A book ’Japanese Inro’ (1997) by Julia Hutt. My ‘kin-tsugi’ method is rather old-fashioned and takes time to complete a job from start to finish. This is due to slow drying nature of ‘urushi’(lacquer).
Nowadays, there is a fast drying ‘urushi’ called ‘cashew urushi’ for restoration which is popular among many professional restorers. ‘Cashew urushi’ can be dried in an ordinary atmosphere. It is also easy to mix with any colours for retouching in order to cover up the damage. I have seen many museum pieces restored with this modern way and we can not tell which ‘urushi’ method is used by just looking at the surface after some fine restoration is done. Modern ‘cashew urushi’ and some chemical glue restoration is good enough for displaying purposes but it is generally advised not to use. Because it has no guarantee of how long the fixture will last. Some said ‘cashew lacquer’ would be lasting only 10~15 years and might start showing the repair.
For my ‘kin-tsugi’ restoration, ‘ki-urushi’ (raw lacquer) and fine gold powder are main mending materials. It is required careful preparation with a mixture of ‘ki-urushi’ and glue made from natural ingredients. ‘Ki-urushi’ is a hazardous raw resin and difficult to handle without having knowledge of its nature, especially for people with sensitive skin. Even the first stage of this repair takes at least a month to dry a glued joint in a humidified room or container. Sometimes I have to repeat this process a few times on one item. Once the joint is dry enough, I can start working on the surface accordingly, using traditional ‘makie’ artist techniques. A complicated restoration may take a few months to complete a job. Yet a strong merit with old ’kin-tsugi’ is your restored vessels can be used again as before. It is said that good ’kin-tsugi’ would last three hundred years.
As my main work is making wood-fired vessels in Anagama, I can only manage limited commissions for your broken ceramics or treasures. My ‘kin-tsugi’ restoration needs many months before sending restored items back to its owner. It also does not come cheap to restore with ‘kin-tsugi’. If you think your ceramics or treasures (sometimes with a sentimental value) worth paying cost, you are welcome to contact me by email with photos of your broken treasures [fine resolution is preferable] for my free consultation. [G.K.]
I have been observing Svend Bayer’s work for over 20 years since I settled in the U.K. I went to see Svend’s latest exhibition at Goldmark Gallery (Uppingham, Rutland) on the first opening day (last Saturday 17th Nov.). The Goldmark gallery has spacious showrooms for displaying fine ceramics, both on the ground floor and upstairs. Mike Goldmark (owner) is always taking a good care of creating the best display for exhibiting artists and also producing an excellent full-colour booklet (plus DVD) for each exhibition. Warm hospitality by the gallery members always makes me feel welcomed and enjoyable.
It is always a great pleasure to see Svend’s new work. Svend told me that most pots on display were from the last 5 firings in his latest Anagama.
I saw a couple of his most recent pots had round bottoms. They sat (laid) on the wicker rings looked very charming. A few simple brushwork on his plates are really likable. Moreover, I was very pleased to find that there were less shell marks on his beautifully thrown pots.
He used to put large shell marks on almost all pots he made in the past several years. I thought it was too much for already strong form of his pots (sometimes those shell marks looked just ugly to my eyes)
You can find more images of Svend’s pots on the Goldmark Gallery website.
Svend’s straightforward approarch to clay and beautiful forms of the vessels have never failed my admiration. Yet I do not fancy his bottles with thick glaze dripping unnaturally.
[Diagrams]
Wood-fired Muffle-kiln 
Wood-fired Raku-kiln(1) 
Wood-fired Raku-kiln(2) 
Wood-fired Raku-Firebox 
Wood-fired Raku-Floor 
(Illustrations of the kilns above are borrowed from old reference books in my library)
I received a few emails from Australia last month and was asked to give a plan (diagram) of my Raku kiln. (Gas)
Hello,
I found your website looking for plans to build a kiln.
I live in Alice Springs in Australia (the desert) and an old Aborginal lady, celebrated ceramicist called Patsy Morton, has moved back out bush to live on her country. She wants a wood fired kiln – she used to have one, but someone stole the bricks.
Your website says there are simple Raku kilns that can be built – would you have plans for one – I wouldn’t be confident building anything more than a very simple kiln because I don’t have much experience.
Do you need fire proof bricks and mortor?
Many thanks for your help. (E.C.)
Dear Emma,
Many thanks for your interest in my website.
My wood Raku kiln is built with heavy bricks and mortar. Because it is located in the wood with no roof. I have a few different designs of my Raku kilns and could send you information of my Raku kiln. Is it O.K. to use your correspondence for my blog? As I have received many similar questions for building of my kilns and also would like to see what other potters do with my kiln design, I have decided to use my blog for wood-firing enthusiasts who are thinking about building their own. If you agree on this, I am happy and able to send you my diagrams, photos and related information.
All the Best and look forward to hearing from you soon, (G.K.)
Yes sounds great – id love to build a really simple one that works – especially for someone who cant cut their wood too small (no chainsaw or axe) Happy to send you photos back too. (E.C.)
Hi gas, have you ever built or seen plans for an underground kiln with the fire built on top? Could this work? It would make it easy to keep the fore going and to build a fire without an ace or chainsaw. Thanks Emma (E.C.)
Dear Emma,
I assume that you are trying to build a Raku kiln for Patsy who is 84 this year.
In the last mail, you mentioned that an underground kiln with the fire built on top. Apart from very primitive pit kiln firings, I have never built or seen such a kiln. My latest Raku kiln is built on a bank so I can fire it without bending myself too much. And the pots (mainly tea-bowls in my case) are loaded and unloaded from top.
I understand that you would like to fire without an axe or chainsaw. Can you correct enough dry branches and twigs for Raku firing?
You also wrote you do not have kiln bricks to build a small raku kiln at the moment. Have you ever consider making sun-dried bricks from local clay yourself or collecting old handmade house bricks? They work perfectly for Raku and cost you far less.
Have you built wood firing kilns before? Could you tell me what is your part in this Raku kiln building project? Please tell me about Patsy and yourself more. Then I should be able to give you information you need. I hope Patsy has a couple of assistants to help and work with her.
I am preparing to upload more detailed information on my Blog very soon. (G.K.)
Thanks Gas!
Patsy Morton is a ceramicist who lives in Central Australia.
http://musicnt.ning.com/video/patsy-morton-central
http://www.artmajeur.com/index.php?go=artworks/list_artworks&list_artist_id=169168
She’s 84, but she prefers to live on her outstation – small community – in the desert, instead of living in town in Alice Springs.
I’m a friend. I work as a solar engineer at an appropriate technology centre in Alice Springs. I am hoping to organise the project – find a plan for a kiln that will work (with someone’s help), and collect the materials. When I know what we’re doing, I’ll probably be able to find some people interested in helping.
Having an underground kiln was Patsy’s idea – I’m not sure if she’s seen one before. I don’t understand how it could get hot enough if it was just heated from the top.
Basically we would like a really simple plan that we can build, and that is likely to work! That’s the main thing.
There is a lot of wood out bush – and often its broken pretty small by nature – our trees don’t grow very tall out here in the desert. Patsy will probably be doing most of the work collecting firewood herself – it’s hard to stop her.
Your work is really beautiful, and so are your kilns.
Many thanks, Emma (E.C.)
To all wood-fired kiln enthusiasts
I have built many anagama and raku kins. Unfortunately I have never put my kiln plans on paper as I just build kilns from available materials and simple measurement. I just do a few simple scribbles and drawings with measurement which means nothing to anyone else but me. Most of main ideas are still in my head. I change many details as I progress my work on building the kiln. Kiln constructiton is only needed to put your ideas (wisdom) into practice. All kilns are slightly different from others.
If you are planning to build a very first Raku kiln by yourself. You should first find a couple of good books on Raku pottery to guide you. ‘RAKU Art & Technique (Hal Riegger) 1970 Litton Educational Publishing’ and ‘RAKU HANDBOOK (John Dickerson) 1972′ are most recommendable. Those are hard to come by. Why don’t you try your local libraries or your potter friends? Even if you have a good kiln designs, you may end up with a quite different kiln from your original pictures in mind. But That’s alright and you may find it works for you. I have no secrecy with my kiln building and I will give my best advice if you contact me through this Anagamaina.
‘Get materials for your kiln first and design your own kiln and start building your own kiln. Then you may have some specific questions’ (Gas)
