5th Raku - Sonyu (1664-1716) Antique kuro-raku tea bowl #4259 for sale

Up for sale is this "5th Raku - Sonyu (1664-1716) Antique kuro-raku tea bowl #4259" If you have any questions please contact us before buy it. No reserve.

- width: approx. 11.7cm (4 39⁄64in)

- height: approx. 8.5cm (3 11⁄32in)

- weight: 494g (w/ box 725g)

- condition: small damaged (hair line cracks)

Sonyu was the son of Sanemon, who ran a draper’s shop Kariganeya, and was adopted by Ichinyu at the age of 2. He eventually married Ichinyu’s daughter (Ozu). His original name was Heishiro, and he was later renamed Sokichi. Ogata Korin and Ogata Kenzan were his cousins, and his great-grandmother was Honami Koetsu’s sister. Ichigen was his brother-in-law who was 2 years older, and Sonyu took over as the head of the family at age 28, retired at age 45, and passed away at age 53. Between 1688 and 1695, he wrote “Sonyu Monjo,” which contained 2 sets of notes on the Raku family and 1 family tree of the Raku family, with his father Ichinyu. This is the oldest written document on the lineage of the Raku family. Sonyu succeeds Ichinyu as the head of the family around 1691, but 100 years had already passed since the passing of Chojiro.

Naturally, it was becoming difficult to recall facts from the past, and there must have been a need to organize the family tree when assuming the name of Kichizaemon. In addition, there may also have been a need to write these documents because Sonyu’s brother-in-law Ichigen left the Raku family in 1688 and returned to his mother’s home in Tamamizu, Ide to create Tamamizu ware. During the Genroku period, which Sonyu lived through, the Rinpa school, which is represented by Korin and Kenzan and features elegant decorations and designs, was favored, but as his father Ichinyu did, Sonyu devoted himself to Chojiro tea bowls, which did not have decorations. This may be related to Japanese tea ceremony trends at the time returning to Rikyu’s idea of wabi-cha in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Rikyu’s death. In contrast to Donyu’s modern shapes, Sonyu’s black tea bowls are much more reserved, as they do not contain decorative colors that stand out and are formed through a small base with sides that have been wrapped thickly with matte black Kase glaze and deep bases by the sides. However, what is important when considering Sonyu’s creative process is that he is reconstructing Chojiro’s essence from his own perspective, rather than imitating Chojiro’s tea bowls. To be specific, the “Kase glaze,” which is a black glaze that resembles the a steel kettle that has lost its luster, is wonderful because it is a glaze that has evolved into Sonyu’s own by capturing the austerely refined expression of Chojiro’s black matte through Sonyu’s consciousness. When Sonyu was 50 years old, he created a series of 200 black Raku tea bowls to commemorate reaching this age. This series, which is called “Kishi Chawan” based on that year’s sexagenary cycle, is one of his most memorable works. “Kimo” and “Umegoromo” are other examples of black Raku tea bowls. In terms of the red Raku tea bowls, many have a fine crackle and a slightly white serene appearance. There is a wide range, as some were melted well in the kiln and underwent changes to their color and shape during firing. The representative red Raku tea bowls include “Fukujuso” and “Fuku no Kami.”

shop policy

Payment
Secure payments by PayPal.

Shipping pocicy of EMS
+ VAT is not included in the product price. + Free shipping on all items. ※exclude South America and Africa
+ We will via EMS (with a tracking number and insurance) and mark the package as a personal-use gift. Some areas may be shipped by DHL.
+ We only ship it to countries that accept EMS and addresses that PayPal accepts.
+ We will ship within 3 business days. Shipping time is usually around 2 weeks.
+ France - Please inform us of your digicode or phone number when you buy it.
+ South America and Africa - Sorry, but an extra shipping cost is required. Please contact us before make your payment.
+ We usually use corrugated cardboard box and Bubble Wrap for safe package.

Invoice
We will write the sales price on an invoice unless you contact us. Please let us know if you have any requests.

If items lost or broken
Please understand that delay, return, damage or loss due to customs or post office handling is not under our control.
EMS is insured, the price on an invoice equals the amount of coverage.

Cancellation and Return Policy
We accept returned items only if you contact us within 30 days after you receive the items. Return-shipping costs are the buyer’s responsibility. When the items arrive at our office, we will refund you ASAP after checking the item's condition. 20% restocking fee may apply.
Even if you ask a cancellation before shipping the package, we may ask a 20% restocking fee.

International Buyers
Import duties, taxes and charges are not included in the item price or shipping charges. Our apologies, if the custom tax is necessary in your country, it will be your payment. These charges are the buyer's responsibility. Please check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to bidding or buying. Tax and customs charges are normally collected by the delivery company or paid when you pick the item up. Please don't confuse these charges for additional shipping charges.

Attention
Please be sure to view photographs carefully in order to avoid errors. Many of the items we sell are vintage so please understand that they will not all be in perfect condition. Our goal is for your buying experience to be a pleasure. If there are any problems, please email us before leaving feedback as anything can be resolved with communication.

To customers buying tableware
Our products are mostly secondhand goods. We sell them in the same condition in which they were purchased, so please be sure to wash them thoroughly before actually using them.

Order through email
If you feel troubled to buy items with a cart system, I would appreciate it if you could tell me what items you want. Please let me know the name of the items through the “contact us” page. A PayPal invoice will be sent to your email address later.