Raku firing was invented in Japan many centuries ago. The process is dramatic to watch and fun to do. While firing usually involves putting a pot into a cold kiln, heating it slowly, then cooling it slowly, raku is the opposite.

The pot is placed, using long handled tongs, into a hot kiln, fired for a short period of time, then removed, still red hot. Then, it is placed in a nest of combustible materials such as leaves, paper, seaweed, etc., and covered with a metal lid. The combustibles then burst into flame and the pot smolders within this oxygen deprived environment until cool enough to handle. Meanwhile, smoke infuses into the unglazed sections, creating the characteristic black background while the metals in the glazes become lustrous.

The following images are a small sample of the raku we carry. Contact us if you require more information about our raku collection.

Please click on any image below for more details.