Ceramic “Pearls” — The Silver-Mist Technique

Kondo Takahiro (こんどう たかひろ, 1958– ) was born into a renowned ceramic family in Kyoto, Japan. His grandfather, Kondo Yuzo (designated as a Living National Treasure for his mastery of sometsuke, or blue-and-white porcelain), and his father, Kondo Hiroshi, passed down to him a sensitivity to craft that seems etched into his very DNA. In his youth, Takahiro trained as a national-level table tennis athlete, a discipline that honed his extraordinary control of power and balance—two seemingly divergent paths that would eventually converge in his revolutionary ceramic art.

At 25, he devoted himself fully to ceramics. His early works in sometsuke honored family tradition, yet revealed a drive for transformation, echoing Tomimoto Kenkichi’s philosophy of “shu–ha–ri” (learning, breaking, transcending).

In 1993, his groundbreaking “Silver-Mist” technique emerged: by creating a unique blend of platinum, gold, silver, and glass, then firing it at 1300°C, he catalyzed metallic particles to crystallize across the glaze surface—forming luminous fragments of flowing light, like shards of a starry galaxy.


This patented technique radically redefined ceramic aesthetics. The vessel was no longer a static object, but a stage where fire and water converged: metallic crystals embedded in the glaze shimmered and dimmed with the light, as if capturing the fleeting energy of firing and transforming it into an eternal poem.

Detail of Silver-Mist glaze with crystallized metallic particles

Swirling blue-and-white Silver-Mist ceramic bowl.

Breaking free from the framework of traditional utilitarian wares, Kondo began to infuse ceramics with techniques from glass casting and metal fusion, creating series such as Eclipse of Light and Mist. What institutions like the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum collected was more than vessels—it was a fiery chronicle of ceramic evolution. With the audacity of an alchemist, Kondo Takahiro has proven that even clay can hold the radiance of the cosmos.

Reactive Silver-Mist glaze with pearl-like surface beads.

Silver-Mist conical ceramic bowl by Kondo Takahiro

From ancient porcelain masterpieces to Kondo Takahiro’s revolutionary Silver-Mist creations, ceramics have always reflected the dialogue between tradition and innovation. Each piece captures not only function, but also the poetry of culture, fire, and time.

At HomeVss, we echo this spirit by crafting stoneware dinnerware that brings artistry into everyday life. Our collections are designed to be both timeless and practical—transforming daily meals into experiences of beauty and meaning.

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