Goreyo tea bowl?

[sergey_of_fields]

Hello,
I purchased this bowl from an auction based on Japan.

It was listed as "Goryeo Celadon Bowl".

Height 4.5 cm, Width 15.5 cm

I hope to learn more about this kind of interesting bowl and glaze. The flat bottom does suggest it was used for whisking tea. Is it really Goryeo?

Here are the pictures: imgur.com/a/2Hpkgcl

Thank you

[peterp]

Difficult to tell what and from when it is...
The reason is that anything that could give a hint is gone.
The most important in this case would be the glaze, but it is not there.
Not sure if it is a shipwreck item either. They often are recognizable by marine growth, etc., but shipwreck items found in the waters near Korea often do not show such, possibly because it (the water) is too cold for such.
As far as the shape and foot rim is concerned, it could be either Chinese or Korean Goryeo dynasty. But if it was the latter, there would be a celadon glaze, originally. Might be possible that the glaze is gone after more than 600 years in the water. The gray color of clay would be possible by either of the two origins.
In my view the only one which "could" be a sign of Goryeo celadon are the three bumps in the upper left. These are more unlikely Chinese, but Korean wares often show firing problems.

You are aware that you can get better preserved Goryeo celadon items online too?  I'm afraid an item in this state is more interesting for research than collecting.  :-)

[sergey_of_fields]

Thank you, Peter, for your answer.

It's interesting to hear about the glaze being gone. In person, it seems like there is a glaze and it is oddly matte, but I'm far from an expert.

I have another piece where the glaze is partially gone. When I pour water into that piece, there is a strong smell of raw clay. Pouring water into the piece I posted pictures of has a different effect - no smell. The water is not absorbed seemingly. I've been drinking tea out of it for a few days - it handles like any other glazed tea bowl.

What experiment would one do to tell if the glaze is fully gone?

And, yes, I am aware that you can get other pieces! I just found this one odd and interesting. It was quite inexpensive!

[peterp]

Just compare the unglazed bases of ceramics to the glazed areas. The color of celadon item clay is usually gray, which is the color of clay that was often used for this type of wares. Shapewise this type of Goryeo ware is often similar in shape to the Chinese ones, but often they show traces of firing supports on the foot rim. Here none is visible.

The surface looks like a shipwreck item in a dilapidated state, without the adhering marine sediment, molluscs, etc.. The decoration below the glaze is also affected, if there was any.
If things are in the sea, the glaze is always the first that is gone, naturally, although it depends on the location. In areas where the current is strong and carries sand, it may abrade the glaze more and faster.
If the item was in a more protected location (inside the ship or inside the sand), then it may be better preserved. Yours looks somewhat as if it was exposed to sand, too rough in my view.

[sergey_of_fields]

Got it, thank you!