Ode to the Kyusu

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Baisao
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Thu Sep 03, 2020 11:32 am

faj wrote:
Thu Sep 03, 2020 10:18 am
Baisao wrote:
Thu Sep 03, 2020 2:39 am
it’s easy to make them not dribble with a wee bit of technique.
Most of the time, I can get a messy teapot to behave somewhat and only drip a bit, but I am not good enough that it would not dribble at all. I have developed a simple trick to compensate for that.

I usually have a cloth laid flat which I use to rest the teapot and lid, just because I do not like to put them on a hard surface. What I do to compensate for my lack of technique is I wait until the pour has stopped and there is that final drop hanging from the spout, and while keeping the spout pointing down, I quickly touch the tip of the spout on the cloth, which absorbs the drop. Probably not the most elegant solution, but for my need it does the job...
I've seen something like this done discretely during senchado but don't recall when/where I saw it. Some pots are more resistant to technique than others. I think I might have a single kyusu that dribbles but it was my first teapot and I have retired it.
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Darbotek
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Thu Sep 03, 2020 6:18 pm

I was just taken a little aback since I have experienced the magic spout with my Sou pot. As long as I just don't dilly dally when pouring with the Emu pot, it doesn't dribble. I can still pour slow enough to not clog the filter, Gong Fu style shotgunning is not required.

And it's such a minor issue when looking at the pot as a whole. I fall a little more in love every time I use it. It's just so comfortable.
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Darbotek
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Thu Sep 10, 2020 7:02 pm

I hadn’t planned on buying another pot so soon, but this Hokujo popped up on Yahoo Auctions and it struck me as so out of the norm for him that I had to snag it. It’s a beefy 260ml pot, thin walls, but a very heavy base. Large, thick handle makes pouring a breeze though. Love the cuts on the base and the subtle yohen on the back.
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Victoria
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Thu Sep 10, 2020 11:24 pm

Darbotek wrote:
Thu Sep 10, 2020 7:02 pm
I hadn’t planned on buying another pot so soon, but this Hokujo popped up on Yahoo Auctions and it struck me as so out of the norm for him that I had to snag it. It’s a beefy 260ml pot, thin walls, but a very heavy base. Large, thick handle makes pouring a breeze though. Love the cuts on the base and the subtle yohen on the back.
Interesting and very unusual for Hokujo, can you share the stamp and inside filter? Must be a very early piece. I have a couple of his early shudei kyusu, both stamps are the same.
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Iizuki
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Fri Sep 11, 2020 1:00 am

Darbotek wrote:
Thu Sep 10, 2020 7:02 pm
Love the cuts on the base and the subtle yohen on the back.
What's yohen?
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Bok
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Fri Sep 11, 2020 1:19 am

@Darbotek looks like earlier works, seems he has not found his sense of balance yet. Reminds me more of his son's works. Heaviness being another indicator of early stage. His latest pieces are amazingly thin and light.
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Darbotek
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Fri Sep 11, 2020 7:40 am

Victoria wrote:
Thu Sep 10, 2020 11:24 pm
Interesting and very unusual for Hokujo, can you share the stamp and inside filter? Must be a very early piece. I have a couple of his early shudei kyusu, both stamps are the same.
It’s definitely unlike anything I’ve seen from him.
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Iizuki wrote:
Fri Sep 11, 2020 1:00 am
What's yohen?
When colors change inside the kiln. I think it directly translates as “kiln change”.
Bok wrote:
Fri Sep 11, 2020 1:19 am
@Darbotek looks like earlier works, seems he has not found his sense of balance yet. Reminds me more of his son's works. Heaviness being another indicator of early stage. His latest pieces are amazingly thin and light.
The top 90 percent is thin and light like I expect from him, it’s just the base that’s chunky. I don’t know if he had the idea for the cuts and built up the base to account for the cuts, or he had a heavy base and just ran with it to see what could happen. It doesn’t feel uncomfortable at all when holding it, the handle is superb and distributes the weight very well when pouring.
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Victoria
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Fri Sep 11, 2020 4:34 pm

Darbotek wrote:
Fri Sep 11, 2020 7:40 am
Victoria wrote:
Thu Sep 10, 2020 11:24 pm
Interesting and very unusual for Hokujo, can you share the stamp and inside filter? Must be a very early piece. I have a couple of his early shudei kyusu, both stamps are the same.
It’s definitely unlike anything I’ve seen from him.
ImageImage
Thanks for sharing the caligraphy on the tomobako, signature under kyusu, and filter. Classic Hokujo (Shimizu Genj) except for the kyusu outer form and lid that uses clay processed differently from body. Even the Yakishime (unglazed stoneware) is similar to what he uses today, although further reduction fired. In case you missed the Hokujo Teaware thread, it has additional information, like a Tokoname publication showing father and son in 1980.
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nohwonder
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Mon Sep 14, 2020 8:15 pm

Recently bought a Kysusu that's supposed to be by Hokujo, but the mark appears to be Kohokujo's to me. Can anyone verify?

Image
Last edited by Victoria on Mon Sep 14, 2020 8:21 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Baisao
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Mon Sep 14, 2020 8:40 pm

nohwonder wrote:
Mon Sep 14, 2020 8:15 pm
Recently bought a Kysusu that's supposed to be by Hokujo, but the mark appears to be Kohokujo's to me. Can anyone verify?
Image
I’m unfamiliar with these two potters but I do not see the character for the diminutive “ko”.
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nohwonder
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Mon Sep 14, 2020 8:44 pm

Baisao wrote:
Mon Sep 14, 2020 8:40 pm

I’m unfamiliar with these two potters but I do not see the character for the diminutive “ko”.
Here's an example of a Kohokujo pot with a mark that looks similar to me: https://www.artisticnippon.com/product/ ... apot5.html
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Victoria
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Mon Sep 14, 2020 9:17 pm

nohwonder wrote:
Mon Sep 14, 2020 8:15 pm
Recently bought a Kysusu that's supposed to be by Hokujo, but the mark appears to be Kohokujo's to me. Can anyone verify?
Image
Yes, looks like Kohokujo, Shimizu Takayuki, son of Hokujo.

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Baisao
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Mon Sep 14, 2020 10:26 pm

@Victoria, you nailed it. I see ko on your example but the first example simply does not look like ko. Maybe he was writing like my son does that day. 😉
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nohwonder
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Tue Sep 15, 2020 5:07 am

Baisao wrote:
Mon Sep 14, 2020 10:26 pm
Victoria, you nailed it. I see ko on your example but the first example simply does not look like ko. Maybe he was writing like my son does that day. 😉
My picture is also terrible :lol:
Thanks for the help!
phier
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Mon Nov 30, 2020 2:32 pm

well not sure if it goes here... but there were multiple questions...

1) if the kyusu shared on the amazon link worth is money... as there are no reviews; there is ceramic mesh tea-strainer instead of metal basket
2) i was reading some threads here regarding the size ... so still not sure if i have to go for 225 or 300ml for a single person, as i read its good idea to serve (sencha) it into 2 cups ~110ml each. At the moment i use iron-cast teapon 600ml for green/herb teas
3) i am still not clear how many ml of sencha is recco to drink for one person... as ppl mentioned ~110ml cups ... so is it like person drinks 110ml of sencha and thats it... something like coffee - 40ml espresso and thats it ... ?:)

the question above might be odd... but i am completely new into that topic. thanks

Last edited by Victoria on Mon Nov 30, 2020 5:40 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Reason: Mod edit: merged posts
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