Trying to Figure Out if Raku and Potter w/initials KM, I think.

I bought this unusual vase at a thrift store and am thinking it might be raku. Actually don't even know why I think that, except a hunch. It has reddish bleeding marks in the inside. Also would like to know if it is a particular style of pottery technique And, does anyone know the potter by the initials KM, I think KM. It measures 9 inches tall by 8 1/2 inches in diameter. Any help on the above. Thank you.

 

interesting studio piece.

raku usually has blackened unglazed areas from kiln smoke, but yours appears to be glazed so technically not raku

looks to be stoneware and i would call that an organic pottery form/glaze

pretty cool

i see KM or VM

you might hit lucky here

https://bispm.co.uk/search.php

 

Thank you. I thought the red bleeding in from the front that shows up in the inside might mean it was raku. But since it is only the black that matters, oh darn. Thank you.

 

still a nice piece though looks nicely made, id think a decent enough potter

 

Not all Raku has the black kiln marks.

 

That is good to know as well. That looks like a similar exterior surface. Thank you Bulldogs.

 

Fair point well made sir mikey, there probably are examples that play to different areas

i wouldn't have necessarily screamed raku, but you do make a point

and its oddball

 

some of this guys work(not saying its the same potter) is quite similar style wise

https://jwestclay.weebly.com/usu-eastern-exhibit1.html

 

FWIW, YM is also a possibility, but I think KM the likeliest.

 

The problem is, there are two types of pottery called "raku."

There is traditional Japanese Raku, which dates back to the 1500s, and often is associated with the tea ceremony. Plus, there is also American raku, which was developed by American potter Paul Soldner, in the 1960s, in an attempt to duplicate the Japanese style. He ended up with American raku, or post-firing reduction, a different type of "raku." Here is his explanation, in an article he wrote himself: https://www.paulsoldner.com/essays/american-raku .

Japanese Raku, on the other hand, refers to a family name, given to the inventor of the style, and the first pottery to use a seal as to authenticity.

Today, most American potters use a capital "R" to indicate that Japanese is different from American raku, in that it refers to a Japanese process, and a family name, (which no one else can use.)

But sometimes it is not capitalized, and the general public doesn't know the difference, so confusion continues. Plus, both American raku, and Japanese Raku can now be found all over the world, so this is just a piece of studio pottery, but very attractive. KM being the potter.

American raku always has the unglazed portion of the pot with the black marks, indicating it was fired in an oxygen-reduced atmosphere. This is simply a Japanese-style of crackle glaze pottery. Whether it is actual Raku, depends on if it has the seal. It is not American raku, since the un-glazed portion of the pot is not black.

 

It certainly looks very similar. Thank you.

 

Thank you for that explanation. Very informative and I learned a lot. Really appreciate it.

 

Charlie I wrote J. West to ask if I could send a photo of the signature as upside down it is a w plus possibly a mark. Thank you.

 

no worries, should be like this this then, and if so a W and n

or...........W and backward h