This is Ceramic_Color_DB(CCDB)

Japanese version is here.

Go to RIO-DB Homepage.

1. Outline
   Materials Research Institute for Sustainable Development of AIST (National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology) has several hundred thousand glaze test pieces which have been accumulated during more than 80 years of ceramic studies. (The imperial Ceramic Experimental Institute was established in 1919 and integrated into GIRIN (Government Industrial Research Institute of Nagoya) when it was established in 1952. GIRIN changed its name to NIRIN (National Industrial Research Institute of Nagoya) in 1993. NIRIN integrated into the new AIST in 2001.)
   This CCDB (Ceramic Color DataBase) offers such information as visual surface, ratio of compounds and firing conditions for glaze test pieces selected as most significant from the enormous collection. Currently we are adding to this data and eventually we will have data for approximately 50000 pieces. Glazes introduced in this database are Japanese or Chinese traditional and crystal glazes. Please refer to the "Guide to Glaze Names and Simple Explanations" for detailed classification of glazes.

   Current Number of Data : 3122

2. Contents
   The data types shown below will be offered for the individual test pieces.

   (1) Reference Number (2) Glaze Name 1 (traditional name) (3) Glaze Name 2 (named by content, materials) (4) Glaze Name 3 (named by color, texture) (5) Firing Temperature (6) Firing Type (7) Color (Munsell Renotation System) (8) Surface Condition (9) Seger Formula (10) Coloring Element (11) Comment, Recipe (12) Picture

   You can search on items 1 to 10 above. Please refer to "Data Items and Retrieval" for details. Pictures of glaze test pieces may not show accurate colors because of display or shooting conditions. For test pieces of even color, please refer to value of Munsell Renotation System.

3. Points Requiring Attention
   It is not necessarily possible to obtain exactly the same glaze finish even using the same compounds, ratio of material combination and firing temperatures as from the data. This is because slight variations in things such as conditions of preparation and mixing of materials, firing schedule or firing type can have a lot of affect on the appearance of a glaze. Also even the same materials may now be slightly different in chemical or mineral composition from the time the glaze was created. To try to recreate the same glaze finish as pictured in the data, you may need to refer to information on related test pieces and compare and experiment with compound or firing conditions.

Search
Guide to Glaze Names and Simple Explanations
Data Items and Retrieval
Related Terms for Ceramic Colors
Background of the CCDB

Toushi-kou Toushi-shinsha

Original glaze test pieces are kept at the AIST Chubu, Seto site. There is also a "Retrieval System for Glaze Test Pieces". This CCDB was created using part of the data from this "Retrieval System for Glaze test pieces". For glaze test pieces or the "Retrieval System for Glaze Test Pieces", please contact us by e-mail.