These Chinese ceramics have fully demonstrated the unique and vital link which the present day potters maintain with the traditions of their illustrious ancestors. The ceramics were discovered in a small number of kilns where the potters continue to work precisely in the time-honoured manner of many hundreds of years ago. Several of the kilns date back to early Qing dynasty -17th Century- which have been patched and re-built over and over again.

They are the exciting traditional wood-fired “climbing tunnel kilns” (Tozan in Japanese) built on a long sloping bank with the fire-mouth facing into the prevailing wind. Close to the stoking zone are mountains of small trees and branches which are fed into the kilns in what appears to be an indiscriminate manner, but which, to the contrary, is highly skilled and the product of many generations of empirical knowledge. It is a remarkable and exciting fact that the present wares equal the technical and artistic excellence of the early wares, and there are two specific reasons for this.

The first reason is that the vital line of continuity, while fragile, has not been broken, and the second reason is that scientifically and chemically, there is but one way, and one way only, in which the famous and magnificent glazes can be made.

Celadon Glaze

One of the most famous glazes from China, the soft pale grey-green glaze of celadon can have many varieties. It is achieved by adding 3% to 6% of iron oxide to the glaze batch and firing in a reducing atmosphere. A reducing atmosphere is achieved by introducing different woods into the chamber of the kiln. This increases the rate at which the oxygen is consumed which changes the entire chemical properties of the colourant metals. An interesting note is that if this same glaze was fired in an oxidizing atmosphere it would be a pleasant creamy colour.

Flambe Glaze

This beautiful purplish glaze is a mixture of copper oxide and cobalt oxide - about 4% to 5% of copper and about .25% of cobalt oxide. It is then fired in a reducing atmosphere. A reducing atmosphere is achieved by introducing different woods into the chamber of the kiln. The increases the rate at which the oxygen is used up, therefore changing the entire chemical properties of the colourant metals. If the mixture of copper and cobalt was fired oxidized, the result would be a blue-green depending on the proportions used. The copper produces the deep red of an ox blood glaze but the cobalt remains blue. This mixture results in the rich blueberry colour, otherwise known as Flambe. An interesting note is that Cobalt oxide, fired oxidized or reduced, does not alter but produces blue regardless.

Imperial Yellow Glaze

Sometimes called Cantonese Yellow, the glaze is made with oxide of antimony, fired in an oxidizing atmosphere. This is when the kilnis burned cleanly with full oxygen within the chamber. It is difficult to get a pure biting lemon yellow. Although some artists add a grain of cobalt to enhance the colour, the results are usually far from exciting.

Temmoku Glaze

This dark glaze contains high amounts of iron oxide and is fired in an oxidizing atmosphere. This means that the kiln is burned cleanly with full oxygen within the chamber. As much as 14% of manganese and occasionally a minute amount of cobalt can be used as well. Sometimes when cooling out, beautiful tiny golden crystals may form deep down in the glaze.