The Role of Trays in Viewing Stone Displays, Part 1
A detailed discussion of the role of different types of ceramic and metal trays used in mainly Japanese stone appreciation.
By Thomas S. Elias, and Hiromi Nakaoji, March, 2021
The two most common methods of holding and orienting viewing stones and suiseki in traditional displays are carved wood bases (daiza, 台座) and ceramic or metal trays (suiban, 水盤). This paper will examine the role of different types of suiban following mainly Japanese traditions. Part 2 of this article will discuss how to display stones in trays.
Exhibiting a viewing stone in a tray is one of the oldest methods that predate carved wood bases. In the early history of viewing stone appreciation in China, unusual rocks were displayed on low tables, fabrics, pillows, and metal trays.
As the interest in suiseki increased, Japanese stones became more refined in the mid and late 20th century, and the use of suiban began to be more common. The Japanese definition of suiban is tray to place suiseki. The word suiban includes earthenware, porcelain, and metal trays. The word suiban literally means "water tray" and some people claim that the word suiseki came from suiban-seki, meaning "water tray stone."
Historically, suiban began to be used with suiseki in mid-Meiji, around 1920, according to Murata Keiji in his book How to Place and Display Suiseki (1966). Others believe that ceramic trays began to be used frequently in Japan after the 1920s. Doban became more commonly used after 1925. Some people liked to use suiban for suiseki display. Katayama Ichiu, master of Keido school of display, advocated using suiban. Katayama was also a dealer and sold trays at his school.
It is important to understand the difference between earthenware and porcelain. Earthenware or pottery is composed of 50% clay, 40% silica, and 10% feldspar and fired in low heat kilns at 800 to 1250 degrees centigrade, while porcelain contains 30% clay, 40% silica, and 30% feldspar and is fired at a higher temperature of 1300 degrees or above. Porcelain will not absorb any water. Unglazed earthenware is porous and will absorb water, while glazed pottery is mostly but not wholly nonporous. Most of the suiban used in Japan to display suiseki are glazed pottery or metal trays. Displaying suiseki in porcelain trays is rarely seen in Japan. Often these white, translucent pieces are displayed as art objects unto themselves.
Today, many viewing stone and suiseki enthusiasts use the word suiban to refer to glazed and unglazed pottery and doban (銅盤) for metal trays. This is not entirely accurate since metal trays are included within the definition of suiban. This is well documented in the Japanese suiseki literature, including but not limited to Aiseki Dictionary (2013) and Introduction to the Way of Stones by Sato (2010). Even the monumental Encyclopedia of Bonsai (1989) includes doban as a subset of suiban.
Ceramic and metal trays used to display stones are typically shallow and lack drainage holes, the feature that distinguishes them from some types of bonsai pots. They vary significantly in size, from ones that fit in the palm of a hand to large ones that can be 75 cm (30 inches) wide, rarely larger. The vast majority of trays are either oval or rectangular, rarely rounded, or in another configuration. Usually, the inside depth ranges from 1 to 5 cm. The sides or rim of trays are typically straight, although some have sides that roll outward slightly near the top. Holding the stone and setting the stage to appreciate a rock is a tray's function.
This bronze tray is 11.3 x 6.2 x 0.5 cm with straight sides and rope-like decoration on the outer rim.
A basic oval-shaped Japanese suiban, 34 x 23.5 x 1.5 inside depth
A rectangular tray made by Japanese ceramist Shinano-an with a light blue glaze on the inside with an outer brown glaze. This tray is 25 x 16.5 x 3 cm.
Ceramic Trays (Ceramic suiban)
Ceramic trays are made from clay and hardened by heat. Trays used in stone appreciation can be unglazed or glazed. Unglazed trays range from varying tan and brown shades to reddish-brown or even dark purple depending upon the type of clay used. They are more porous and less durable than glazed trays.
Glazing consists of coating a clay tray with a liquid mixture of silica, alumina, and other materials with pigments and firing, then firing it in a kiln to form a hard, durable layer that fuses with the clay. The colors and patterns available are almost unlimited and depend upon the ceramists' skill and techniques. As a result, glazed suiban are used more frequently in viewing stone displays than unglazed trays. The Nippon Bonsai Association, in their book Pots, Suiban, and Tables for Bonsai and Suiseki (1975) states that since suiseki had color, various colored suiban were acceptable to use in displays.
The following are two examples of nice glazed trays handmade by skilled Japanese ceramists. The artist Kouyou made the blue-glazed suiban, while the tan and brown pattern tray was made by Sinano-an, father of the well-known base carver Harada Kazuya.
This blue glazed tray is 49.5 x 28.5 3.0 cm.
The tan and brown colors of the suiban easily harmonize with the colors found in Japanese sand. This tray is 41.5 x 27 x 3 cm.
This brown with subtle green colored suiban is 40 x 29.5 x 2.5 cm and was made by southern California ceramist James Barrett.
Selecting a rectangular tray or an oval tray depends on the stone's shape and form and its message to a viewer. Variations in the trays' width and depth are used as needed to best complement the stone. In his Suiseki and Biseki Practical Encyclopedia (1972), Murata Keiji wrote that stones with precise movement would fit well in rectangular suiban while graceful rocks will work better in oval trays. Generally, the shape and form, surface texture, and color of the stone influence a tray's selection. Experience and practice are essential in developing the skill to match a stone with a tray. We will discuss the placement of stones in trays in the April 2021 feature article on this website.
Metal Trays (doban)
The Japanese word doban translates literally "copper tray," although it now applies to any tray made of metal. Most of the metal trays used to display viewing stones are copper or bronze, a copper alloy. Occasionally, iron doban are seen.
The Bronze Age, approximately 2500 to 3000 B.C., revolutionized agriculture, tools of war, food and drinking, and the display of aesthetic objects. Bronze is composed mainly of copper together with 12 or 13% tin and other metals—silicon, arsenic, or phosphorous. These ingredients combine in the smelting process to make a harder, stronger, and more durable metal. There are many variations in the materials and combinations used to make different bronze types.
We purchased the bronze tray shown above at an antique shop in Japan. It appears to be ancient and has an unusual motif on the outer rim. After returning home, we began to study it and determined that it was Chinese, not Japanese. We were able to translate the calligraphy on the tray with a Chinese language scholar's help and were pleasantly surprised to learn that it is attributed to Liu Hong, the 12th emperor of the Han dynasty. Liu Hong was the emperor from 168 to 172 C.E. If this had been authentic, we would have had a great prize in our possession. After consulting with a recognized collector of Chinese antiquities and a Chinese scholar at a major university, we learned that it was most likely a later copy of a Han dynasty tray. In the Qing dynasty (1644-1911), dealers and artisans made copies of 3rd-century wares to sell to collectors of Chinese antiques. Even if this is a late Qing dynasty copy, it is still a great find for us in our pursuit of learning about Chinese and Japanese stone appreciation practices and the artifacts associated with it.
This small signed Chinese tray is in the shape of a Quince plant's flower. This tray does not appear to be antique. It is 21.5 x 15.5 x 1 cm. The flowers are wider than tall. Japanese trays with this general shape are known as Mokko ( 木瓜 ).
Bronze trays made in China, Korea, and Japan are used in displaying stones. There were many craftsmen making bronze objects in Japan. Takaoka City in Toyama prefecture was one of the centers of bronze casting in Japan before World War II.
Pre- World War II Japanese doban 25.2 x 15.4 x 1.5 cm made by Michio in Takaoka City.
One of the famous doban makers in Japan was Harada Houn. Japanese stone connoisseurs consider his trays to be the finest in Japan. Two generations of Harada Houn, the first and the second Houn (1898-1973), made bronze trays for suiseki display. Harada Houn was the father of Harada Kenkichi and taught his son how to use the wax casting technique of bronze making. Harada Kenkicki used the name Harada Houn as his artist name after his father died. The second Harada Houn is responsible for beautiful doban prized by serious collectors. The size of the Japanese doban ranges from 15 to 90 cm (6 to 35 inches) wide. Doban that are 54, 60 and 75 cm wide are the most popular with Japanese stone connoisseurs.
Harada Houn made the small doban as one of a set of two same-sized trays but with different patterns on the outer edge. It is 23.5 x 9.1 x 1.0 cm.
This large Japanese doban is 55 x 42 x 3 cm with a design around the outer edge of the tray.
There are several reoccurring patterns found on the outer edge of dobans. This pattern was cast separately and then added to the doban.
Copper and bronze trays craftsmen made trays with plain outer rims or added decorative features. The patterns were incorporated in the molds used in casting these metal trays. Or, in other cases, the decorative feature was cast separately and then added to the outer rim of the tray.
Ono Kousei of Matsudo City, Japan, made this attractive modern oval copper tray. It is 42.5 x 25.5 x 2.5 cm (inside depth).
Deep Trays and Censors
Deep bronze trays are useful to display selected stones that require being partially submerged in the sand to reveal their best features. Likewise, vertically oriented stones often need more depth to hold them securely in place. Like the one below, deeper trays were most likely used for ikebana arrangements or used as censers (burning sticks of incense in sand). This tray is attributed to the collection of Katayama Ichiu, founder of the Keido School of Display.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Do I have to go to Japan and buy a handcrafted, antique ceramic tray to have a great display?
No, you don't. While a trip to Japan is nice and sufficient money to buy a beautiful signed antique suiban is even better, it is not necessary for an outstanding display. The size, shape, and color of a tray are more important than the artisan who made the tray. Remember, it is the stone that is the primary object in a display, and all other accessories should complement and help the stone convey its message. Some of the handmade, signed ceramic trays might best be displayed as artworks unto themselves, especially if the glazing is extraordinary.
How can I find a suitable ceramic tray at a reasonable price?
There are at least two options available. The first is to look for factory-made trays that are manufactured in quantity. Numerous identical unsigned trays are made by the hundreds or thousands for a fraction of the cost of a unique handmade tray. These will work just as well. Consider these two oval-shaped trays, one 30 x 12.7 cm (12 x 5 inches), and the larger 33 x 23 cm (13 x 9 inches) ceramic trays manufactured in China and offered for sale in a Japanese supermarket in southern California. The larger tray cost $16, while the smaller one was purchased for $14.
Inexpensive factory-made suiban
The second option is to locate ceramists in your city or region. Potters that made flower pots have the necessary skills to make a tray for you. Show your local potter a photograph of the tray or trays you would like to have and ask if they can make a copy of it at the size, shape, and finished color you need for a display. Let the stone you want to display in a
suiban
determine the size, shape, and color.
Single tray, made by U.S. ceramic artist Ron Lange; two oval trays made by U.S. artist Jim Barrett
Are there a suitable alternative to using ceramic or bronze trays to display stones?
Yes, of course. Pressed fiberglass trays can be made to resemble any ceramic or bronze tray. We have seen many of these trays used successfully in exhibitions in Indonesia. It is practically impossible to determine what material a tray is made of when viewing a stone display in an exhibition without touching the tray. To be cost-effective, a manufacturer may require you to have multiple identical trays made at one time. This can reduce the cost to about $10 to $15 per tray. Members of a club or several clubs can join together to obtain a supply of two or three types of trays made at one time. The following fiberglass tray is made to resemble a ceramic tray.
Pressed fiberglass tray made in Indonesia, 43 x 28 x 3 cm (inside depth).
Another alternative is the use of wood trays. We have seen this used in Hokkaido, the northernmost main island in Japan. This tray is 33 x 21.3 cm and is good to use with smaller stones.
This wood tray is carved from a single piece of wood in Hokkaido, Japan that is 33 x 21 x 1.7 cm (13 x 8.2 x 0.8 inches).
Finally, do not hesitate to look for trays in stores specializing in kitchen supplies. While new aluminum trays will be too shiny, some ceramic trays may be suitable. Used tarnished baking pans can be acceptable, especially in more contemporary displays. Traditionalists will shun these products, but don't be afraid to experiment.
