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Originally a name used by a Japanese family that has made tea ceremony ware since the seventeenth century. Raku now refers to both the process of raku firing and to ware glazed in such a firing. Soft and porous, traditional raku ware was lead-glazed, placed in a red-hot kiln, and quickly withdrawn when the glaze melted. In the West, lead is now rarely used in raku glazes. Leadless frits and Gerstley borate are now commonly used fluxes in place of lead. Raku ware is often reduced after firing by burying it in straw, sawdust, paper, or other combustible material, then covering it with an airtight lid to create a reducing atmosphere that aids in producing luster or opalescent colors.
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