Richard Mahaffey on wed 2 mar 05
Wes, Craig
I was told by a Japanese potter (who has an extensive knowledge of
ceramic history. as well as a vast amount of experience) that Tenmoku
was a shape - Chinese rice bowl shape- and a glaze.
The descriptors of oil spot, hare's fur, partridge feather, tortoise
shell and the equavilents in other languages are modifiers for the
glaze name.
These styles (of glaze) seemed to come from the spot (section or zone)
where the piece was fired in the kiln.
It seems that all of the Hare's Fur (and so on) come from the same
section of the kiln as a result of the heating/cooling atmospheric
cycle to which that section is subjected. (Mostly cooling and
atmospheric, I suspect.)
In a long or large kiln fired over several days the glaze/pot in an
area is subjected to a heating and cooling rate that can significantly
differ from other areas that are closer or farther from the front of
the kiln.
By the way, oil spot, hare's fur, and tortoise shell are all names
given by foreigners. (Celadon for example is called green bean glaze
in Chinese.)
Back to shape, the fact that is now used as a tea bowl (chawan) does
not change the fact that the original use in China was to be a rice
bowl, in fact the produce of the kiln where the original Tenmoku was
made consisted of rice bowls, lots or rice bowls, fired in saggars (At
least some of them were), by the way.
Not all iron saturates would be Tenmoku or Temmoku glazes. For
example I don't think that a Japanese potter would consider a Kaki
(persimmon) glaze a Tenmoku (Ohata or Ohada would be one such Kaki
glaze in common use in USA).
YMMV or more approiately YTMV (Your Milage May Vary or Your Tenmokuage
May Vary)
Rick Mahaffey
Edwards on thu 3 mar 05
Thanks Rick for the insightful post. It is interesting how through
history they have developed, and the meanings to different cultures. One
of my passions is to visit ancient kilns sites. Some they have excavated
the old kiln and done extensive research on its history etc. others
there is nothing that shows that pots were made there -- I mean no
marker or shards. One thing that always stands out the these sites is
the genius of nature. Everything that is needed to make celadon or
tenmoku pots is right there. The clay, feldspar, whiting, flint, and
wood to fire the pots all in one complete package. Just add the potters.
All very direct and simple. Clear vision.
It has given me better prospective on pots and where they come from.
~Craig
________________
Craig Edwards, New London MN
e-mail craigedwards@charter.net
http://photobucket.com/albums/v11/credwards/
Illegitimis non carborundum
Richard Mahaffey wrote:
> Wes, Craig
>
> I was told by a Japanese potter (who has an extensive knowledge of
> ceramic history. as well as a vast amount of experience) that Tenmoku
> was a shape - Chinese rice bowl shape- and a glaze.
> The descriptors of oil spot, hare's fur, partridge feather, tortoise
> shell and the equavilents in other languages are modifiers for the
> glaze name.
> These styles (of glaze) seemed to come from the spot (section or zone)
> where the piece was fired in the kiln.
>
> It seems that all of the Hare's Fur (and so on) come from the same
> section of the kiln as a result of the heating/cooling atmospheric
> cycle to which that section is subjected. (Mostly cooling and
> atmospheric, I suspect.)
> In a long or large kiln fired over several days the glaze/pot in an
> area is subjected to a heating and cooling rate that can significantly
> differ from other areas that are closer or farther from the front of
> the kiln.
>
> By the way, oil spot, hare's fur, and tortoise shell are all names
> given by foreigners. (Celadon for example is called green bean glaze
> in Chinese.)
>
> Back to shape, the fact that is now used as a tea bowl (chawan) does
> not change the fact that the original use in China was to be a rice
> bowl, in fact the produce of the kiln where the original Tenmoku was
> made consisted of rice bowls, lots or rice bowls, fired in saggars (At
> least some of them were), by the way.
>
> Not all iron saturates would be Tenmoku or Temmoku glazes. For
> example I don't think that a Japanese potter would consider a Kaki
> (persimmon) glaze a Tenmoku (Ohata or Ohada would be one such Kaki
> glaze in common use in USA).
>
>
>
>
> YMMV or more approiately YTMV (Your Milage May Vary or Your Tenmokuage
> May Vary)
>
> Rick Mahaffey
>
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