Yesterday I've returned from Brno, Czech republic, where I had visited Daniel Klasek's Darjeeling.cz. My goal had been set days before this trip – as soon as I saw this tea tray in the e-shop, I knew it has to be mine.
A work by Czech potter Mirka Randova, this tray is quite big and heavy, with rough surface and overall rustic feeling. Even so, it demonstrates mastership of its creator – with no fancy garishness, it is beautiful in its balanced simplicity, in its unique spirit and energy, so typical for wood-fired pottery.
Mirka is Petr Novak's partner and co-worker and this fact can somehow be clearly seen when you put some of his works on her tea tray – they are in complete harmony, just as two parts of one set.
This Shiboridashi now even seems strangely incomplete, whenever it isn't lying on the tray – same goes with the cup belonging to it.
The tray's surface is black on the top – that kind of black which cools down in summer and warms up in winter. In contrast, the bottom maintains color of bare clay, even conducing to the overall rustic, natural look of this work, which is a key element of this piece's unique beauty.
Quietly prepared on this tray, even tea tastes better than ever.
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Apart from the tray, I also received two generous samples of quite unusual teas from Daniel Klasek – some 2010 Balhyocha from Hadong and 2010 Nepal Jun Chiyabari „Himalayan Jade Oolong“. Will talk about these later.
Beautiful tray! I am stuck with a cheap bamboo tray for now. I really need to find myself a better one!
ReplyDeleteWilliam,
ReplyDeletebamboo trays also do have something special and unique about them and in my eyes especially suit Chinese Gongfu cha, though their biggest disadvantage is that they perish after some time, get scratched and may start to leak.
From this point of view, ceramic trays are definitely better, as they are almost imperishable (apart from being outstandingly beautiful, both to look at and on touch). So I definitely can recommend you getting one if you get a chance, they are quite expensive, but it's definitely worth it ;)
Beautiful dishes! Lovely tea teable!
ReplyDeleteTomas K. Jihlava
Tomas,
ReplyDeletethanks ;-) There is just something unique about every peace of hand-made ware, just as if it contained a part of potter's soul.