This Edo-period Kuro Oribe chawan is a striking example of early 17th- to 18th-century Mino ware, characterized by its deep black glaze, asymmetric form, and contrasting slip decoration. Kuro Oribe (黒織部) is a substyle of Oribe ware that employs a lustrous black glaze alongside white slip-reserved areas decorated in iron oxide brushwork. This particular bowl follows the kutsugata (沓形) “shoe-shaped” tradition, with a subtly distorted, sloped rim and irregular form—elements cherished in tea aesthetics for their tactile and visual character. The exaggerated contrast between glossy black glaze and rustic brush-painted patterns evokes a dynamic energy that was central to the Oribe aesthetic.
The accompanying tomobako is inscribed with the designation 黒織部茶碗 (Kuro Oribe Chawan) and bears the poetic name 富士 (Fuji), conferred by Gengensai (玄々斎, 1810 – 1877), the 11th-generation iemoto of the Urasenke school. Gengensai’s inscription, signature, and personal kao are clearly present on the box lid.