Kurinuki Salt or Spice Box

Kurinuki are made using a traditional Japanese technique of carving out a vessel from a single block of clay. This box has been hand carved from black clay and is uniquely sculptural. After the first firing a gloss glaze has been applied to the interior, the exterior has been left unglazed so you can enjoy its rocky surface. A second firing reaches over 1200 degrees Celcius. The little spoon has been modeled from the same black clay and has a glazed scoop and unglazed handle.

Kurinuki vessels remind me of the patterns of destruction and creation in the earth beneath my feet. Living on the lower slopes of Banks Peninsula, the shearing force of earthquakes has particular salience. I appreciate the wabi-sabi of Kurinuki vessels. Wabi-sabi is a Japanese term that indicates the acceptance of transience, the imperfect and incomplete. Engaging with a wabi-sabi object can remind us of the power of nature, the passing of time, and that we are not separate from our surroundings.

This box is approximately 50mm high x 50mm wide excluding the spoon holder. The box will hold approximately 5 teaspoons of salt/ spice/herbs. The spoon is 65 mm long. Price includes standard shipping.


I want you to be happy with your purchase. In the unlikely event that there is some issue please contact me either directly or through the Felt message system so I can put it right.