kamagami ceramique

[kamagami]

Hello, did you know kamagami ceramique ? Probably not.
I'm a french ceramist, I like to make kyusu teapots, throwing and assembling different parts to make the most confortable teapots. I work with fire, my "style" is like yakishime, there is no glaze.
At the beginning, I was using low range clay (1100°c 1150°c), iron rich with a close body.

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After that I decide to find natural clay in nature. 3 years of searching using geologic maps and data.
It's a grey/white stoneware firing between 1280°c and 1300°c.

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I also work with porcelain from Limoges, unglazed.

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Everything is fire in an old Electric kiln modified for wood firing.
I hope you will enjoy

[pedant]

bienvenue! beautiful ceramics, thank you for sharing

[Ethan Kurland]

bienvenue! beautiful ceramics, thank you for sharing

+1
Have you compared the 3 clays to learn how they vary in taste for the same tea(s)? Would be interesting to learn how they each effect tea. (I especially like the look of the unglazed porcelain; however, I've read on this forum that unglazed porcelain can ruin infusions. Good to hear what you feel.)
Thanks for the post.

[kamagami]

bienvenue! beautiful ceramics, thank you for sharing

+1
Have you compared the 3 clays to learn how they vary in taste for the same tea(s)? Would be interesting to learn how they each effect tea. (I especially like the look of the unglazed porcelain; however, I've read on this forum that unglazed porcelain can ruin infusions. Good to hear what you feel.)
Thanks for the post.

I think if porcelain is well fired, at 1300°C, the result is quite good. I have several customers with the same opinion.
I tried to compare but I can't drink tea analytically, sometimes it's very good and other times not so much.
I think the water quality and infusion settings are the key.
It's the same approach each time and yet each infusion is necessarily different.
Maybe I need more experience to be perfectly sure but is that possible with wood firing ceramics ?
Thanks for your interest.

[Victoria]

Really well crafted kyusu. Thank you for sharing. How does weight and wall thickness contare with Hokujo stoneware?

[aet]

bienvenue! beautiful ceramics, thank you for sharing

+1
Have you compared the 3 clays to learn how they vary in taste for the same tea(s)? Would be interesting to learn how they each effect tea. (I especially like the look of the unglazed porcelain; however, I've read on this forum that unglazed porcelain can ruin infusions. Good to hear what you feel.)
Thanks for the post.

The porclain doesn't lie.
Means , if you want to get the true taste of anything , you brew it in porcelain or glass. The clay has an impact on taste ( I wouldn't call it ruin the infusions , coz in some cases it actually helps to reduce some not appretiated notes / characteristics of some tea ) . Glazed clay would be , in my opinion , some transition between clay and porcelain..and so the characteristics.
The best way to compare is - first try without the tea but just water ( preferably less Ca , some bottle water ) . Pour hot water in those 3 types and let it cool down to the mild warm temperature, then drink. ...that will reveal the clay taste
After that try - brew the same tea ( preferably some which you are very familiar with ) in those 3 pots, you will understand what way it affects the tea ( I'd start with some less fermented so the clay taste impact is also more noticable ) . So could try some JP / YN greens , sheng , white or green oolong.
Pourous clays tend to dimnish some astringancy but flowery notes unfortunatelly can go along with that as well , only fruityness stays ( that's an example of sheng in some Yixing ) , so those are suitable for young shengs or some lower quality shengs ( like made of tai di cha where astringacny is very intensive ) with sharp taste.
There is also concept of using same teapot from pouresous clay for many years with same tea so it has sort of coating inside which dimnishes the actual clay taste ( which might be disturbing for some tea ) and makes the tea drinking experience better.
Which clay for which tea is very long and contraversional topic..also perosnal preference, I guess.

[Ethan Kurland]

I think if porcelain is well fired, at 1300°C, the result is quite good. I have several customers with the same opinion.
I tried to compare but I can't drink tea analytically, sometimes it's very good and other times not so much.
I think the water quality and infusion settings are the key.
It's the same approach each time and yet each infusion is necessarily different.
Maybe I need more experience to be perfectly sure....

More experience means more confusion for me. I agree good water matters. I prefer tea that does not need perfect parameters; moreover, perfect consistency to create good taste. Also, +1 the same approach either does not produce the same cup or we taste it differently (= subjectivity).
To get back to your work. After I win in the lottery; or, if you like to barter (I sell tea & jade jewelry), I want an unglazed porcelain, left-handed kyusu from you. Cheers

[kamagami]

Really well crafted kyusu. Thank you for sharing. How does weight and wall thickness contare with Hokujo stoneware?

I can't compare with Hokujo stoneware because I never see and touch one of his craft.
But it's funny, I learn by myself with an endless watching of a video of Genji Shimizu on youtube
Most of my teaware is thin and light weight, between 100/150g for a kyusu.

[kamagami]

bienvenue! beautiful ceramics, thank you for sharing

+1
Have you compared the 3 clays to learn how they vary in taste for the same tea(s)? Would be interesting to learn how they each effect tea. (I especially like the look of the unglazed porcelain; however, I've read on this forum that unglazed porcelain can ruin infusions. Good to hear what you feel.)
Thanks for the post.

The porclain doesn't lie.
Means , if you want to get the true taste of anything , you brew it in porcelain or glass. The clay has an impact on taste ( I wouldn't call it ruin the infusions , coz in some cases it actually helps to reduce some not appretiated notes / characteristics of some tea ) . Glazed clay would be , in my opinion , some transition between clay and porcelain..and so the characteristics.
The best way to compare is - first try without the tea but just water ( preferably less Ca , some bottle water ) . Pour hot water in those 3 types and let it cool down to the mild warm temperature, then drink. ...that will reveal the clay taste
After that try - brew the same tea ( preferably some which you are very familiar with ) in those 3 pots, you will understand what way it affects the tea ( I'd start with some less fermented so the clay taste impact is also more noticable ) . So could try some JP / YN greens , sheng , white or green oolong.
Pourous clays tend to dimnish some astringancy but flowery notes unfortunatelly can go along with that as well , only fruityness stays ( that's an example of sheng in some Yixing ) , so those are suitable for young shengs or some lower quality shengs ( like made of tai di cha where astringacny is very intensive ) with sharp taste.
There is also concept of using same teapot from pouresous clay for many years with same tea so it has sort of coating inside which dimnishes the actual clay taste ( which might be disturbing for some tea ) and makes the tea drinking experience better.
Which clay for which tea is very long and contraversional topic..also perosnal preference, I guess.

It reminds me some advice from Hojo tea website, I will try water taste soon and I will tell you.

[kamagami]

I think if porcelain is well fired, at 1300°C, the result is quite good. I have several customers with the same opinion.
I tried to compare but I can't drink tea analytically, sometimes it's very good and other times not so much.
I think the water quality and infusion settings are the key.
It's the same approach each time and yet each infusion is necessarily different.
Maybe I need more experience to be perfectly sure....

More experience means more confusion for me. I agree good water matters. I prefer tea that does not need perfect parameters; moreover, perfect consistency to create good taste. Also, +1 the same approach either does not produce the same cup or we taste it differently (= subjectivity).
To get back to your work. After I win in the lottery; or, if you like to barter (I sell tea & jade jewelry), I want an unglazed porcelain, left-handed kyusu from you. Cheers

+1 I like to barter (I learn a new word in english^^) specially with tea sellers, like I do in france.
But I didn't see your website on your profile, permanent redirection to business website ??

[Ethan Kurland]

I don't use a website. In the section for vendors of teaforum, I have my list of teas for sale. I simply use my name, Ethan Kurland. We should probably switch to email for me to send you information on jade that I have, including a Buddha & some pretty polished pieces & small saucers & cups. Also you should ascertain that receiving packages internationally is working well for you. In the past I found that somehow some towns in France were rough on packages, tearing open some of the tea packets & spilling out much of leaves.
Even here in the Boston area which is supposed to be sophisticated, I lived in one neighborhood that often would not deliver international packages, just leave a slip of paper on my door telling me to come to the post office, where I would be asked questions then need to open the package there before a postal worker. (I brought a map w/ me once to show them that Nepal was not a country know for exporting drugs, terrorists, etc.)
email is merrill23k@yahoo.com