Excavated from Magoemon Kiln, Tsuruma-cho, Seto City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan
14th century, Height 4.8cm, Bowl diameter 2.5cm, Body diameter 4.9cm, Bottom diameter 1.9cm
Aichi Prefectural Ceramic Museum
The Magoemon Kiln is one of the few kilns that have been excavated and investigated in Seto, and is blessed with a rich variety of vessels from the late Kamakura period, the heyday of Koseto. This kiln produced a large number of small jars and bean jars as well as Tenmoku tea bowls in the early period. Many of them have the same shape as the round tea caddy shown above, but the one shown here is a small vertical jar with a slightly stout body, similar to the Bunrin type. It is made of a slightly iron-rich clay and is thinly ground. The iron glaze is applied rather thickly, giving it a brownish color similar to rust axis.
