Catalog: Artists: Ceramics: Pottery (595)

The surface of this rough slab is like an eroded plain with rivulets of glass running to a clouded pool in the center, signed along the edge and enclosed in the original signed wooden box by Sugimoto Sadamitsu. It is roughly 20-1/2 x 8-1/2 x 3 inches (52 x 21.5 x 8 cm) and in perfect condition.
Sadamitsu was born in Tokyo in 1935. A strong adherent to the Zen tradition, Sadamitsu established his own kiln at 33, receiving the kiln name from his mentor Daitokuji priest Tachibana Oki. His Zen studies have refined the spiritual side of his work, and all of his wood fired ceramics have a quiet and confident power. He has spent his life in the research of kohiki, Shigaraki Iga and Raku wares, and is more than well known in tea circles for the discriminating soul of his works. For more information on this artist see the book Fired with passion : contemporary Japanese ceramics ISBN 1-891640-38-0.

A large pulled, rolled and torn Oribe slab dish covered with translucent green by Ishii Takahiro enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 24 x 11 inches (61 x 28 cm) and in fine condition.
Ishii Takahiro was born in Gunma prefecture in 1980 and has taken Japan by storm after graduating the Kyoto Municipal University of Art and an apprenticeship under Kakurezaki Ryuichi. A true rising star in the Ceramics world

An exquisite platter on two legs by Aoyama Tetsuro enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The rush of white and and soft blue across the surface is reminiscent of the “Ma”, or blank space of an ink waterfall painting. It measures 41 x 40.5 x 10 cm (16 x 16 x 4 inches) and is in excellent condition.
Aoyama Tetsuro was born in Gifu, home of the Mino potteries, in 1946. He apprenticed under Kato Jin in 1961, moving out on his own in 1973. He has exhibited at the Nitten, Nihon Shin Kogeiten, Chunichi Kokusai Togieten, Asahi Togiten, and Nihon Gendai Bijutsu Kogeiten among many others.

The playful form of this pottery work by the ever lively Yangaihara Mutsuo seems to be overfull with joy, weeping out from the bottom to form a puddle below. It is enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Kuro Oribe Choko and dated 1992. The vessel is 39 cm (16 inches) tall, 19 x 17 cm (7-1/2 x 7 inches) across the base and in excellent condition. This is a rare opportunity for one of the more greatly collected artists of recent years.
Yanigahara Mutsuo (b.1934) was raised in Seto, and studied in Kyoto along with contemporary Morino Taimei with whom he maintained a lifelong friendship. His work is largely sculptural, and his choice of colors is his reflection on the decadence of Japanese society. A list of exhibitions and awards would be much too long but includes the Japan Ceramics Society Gold prize in 2002. Listed as one of the most influential potters of the 20th century in the Japanese ceramics magazine Honoho Geijutsu, he is held in the Museum of Modern Art, both Tokyo and Kyoto (MOMAT, MOMAK), The National Museum of Art, Osaka, V&A, Great Victoria Art Gallery, Portland and any number of other prominent public and private collections throughout the world. For more see Japanese Studio Crafts, Tradition and the Avant Garde by Rupert Faulkner. According to the V&A his “work is striking for its blend of dynamism, colour and wit. A leading figure among Kyoto artists, Yanagihara has taught at Osaka University of Arts since 1968. Yanagihara's application of brightly coloured abstract motifs to vessel forms with anatomical, sometime sexually explicit features - a combination with which he first experimented in the late 1960s and early 1970s - has been a characteristic of his work for the past fifteen years. As in the case of Morino Taimei, a close friend and exact contemporary at Kyoto City University of Arts in the late 1950s, Yanagihara has been considerably influenced by the experiences he gained during two periods of teaching in the United States in 1966-8 and 1972-4. His use of gold and silver - a wry comment, he has explained, on the decaying values of contemporary society and the corruption of Japan's political system - echoes the extravagant style of certain North American artists.”

A tall covered box of coiled clay by Kyoto Legend Miyashita Zenji enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Ransaihako. The box has been created with spaghetti like strands of pure white clay compressed together and splashed with a waterfall of blue glaze. A rare and interesting work by this artist, it is 12.5 x 12.5 x 27 cm (5 x 5 x 11 inches) and is in excellent condition.
Miyashita Zenji (1939-2012) was born into the family of potter Miyashita Zenju, and graduated the Kyoto Municipal University of Art under Kiyomizu Kyubei and Kusube Yaichi. Starting with the most difficult, he worked from Celadon, which relies on shape and extreme control of firing. He began exhibiting in the annual Nitten exhibitions in 1964, eventually winning eighteen prizes. According to the Sackler, which holds 6 works by him, “ His mature work was a modern embodiment of a classic Kyoto mode associated with the Heian period (794–1185). He applied delicate layers of color—reminiscent of multilayered court robes or decorated papers made for inscribing poetry—using not over-glaze enamels or glazes but clay itself, dyed with mineral pigments”. He is held in the aforementioned Freer-Sackler, the British Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art New York, and the Brooklyn Museum the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the Museum of Fine Arts Houston and of course The National Museums of Modern Art both in Kyoto and Tokyo among a host of others.

A sizeable seihakuji vase by celadon master Fukami Sueharu (b. 1947) enclosed in the original signed wooden box dating circa 1985. Graceful lines drape from 8 points evenly distributed about the rim, creating a sense of geometry on the simple orb. The vase is roughly 8-1/2 inches tall, 9-3/4 inches diameter and in excellent condition. The name of Kyotos Sueharu is synonymous with seihakuji celadon. He has been displayed numerous times at the prestigious Nitten, Nihon Togei Ten (National Japanese Ceramic Exhibition) and Nihon Gendai Kogei Ten (National Japanese Modern Crafts Exhibition) among others. He is held in the Yale University Museum among others. For more information on this artist a quick web-search, or a look at the article highlighting his life in the March 2005 edition of Orientations Magazine will be enlightening.

A book of Yagi Kazuo works (number 203 of 800) dated 1969 with the cover inlaid with a ceramic work signed and dated Feb. 1967. Dozens of photographs of his work dating from the height of his fame as an avante Garde sculptor fill this 100 page book titled Simply “Yagi Kazuo”. The book comes in the original cover which is held inside a cardboard sleeve. The ends of the cover not encased in cardboard have yellowed some with age, but this does not affect the book within.

An early vase by sculptural legend Yanagihara Mutsuo enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Heki-yu Tetsu-e Kabin. Hekiyu is a glaze made of copper and cobalt, which when fired takes on the color of Lapiz. In this case the Lapiz blue pours down over a tapering base of raw earth decorated with spiraling blades in iron glaze. It is 23.5cm (9 inches) diameter 27.5 cm (11 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Yanigahara Mutsuo (b.1934) was raised in Seto, and studied in Kyoto along with contemporary Morino Taimei with whom he maintained a lifelong friendship. His work is largely sculptural, and his choice of colors is his reflection on the decadence of Japanese society. A list of exhibitions and awards would be much too long but includes the Japan Ceramics Society Gold prize in 2002. Listed as one of the most influential potters of the 20th century in the Japanese ceramics magazine Honoho Geijutsu, he is held in the Museum of Modern Art, both Tokyo and Kyoto (MOMAT, MOMAK), The National Museum of Art, Osaka, V&A, Great Victoria Art Gallery, Portland and any number of other prominent public and private collections throughout the world. For more see Japanese Studio Crafts, Tradition and the Avant Garde by Rupert Faulkner. According to the V&A his “work is striking for its blend of dynamism, colour and wit. A leading figure among Kyoto artists, Yanagihara has taught at Osaka University of Arts since 1968. Yanagihara's application of brightly coloured abstract motifs to vessel forms with anatomical, sometime sexually explicit features - a combination with which he first experimented in the late 1960s and early 1970s - has been a characteristic of his work for the past fifteen years. As in the case of Morino Taimei, a close friend and exact contemporary at Kyoto City University of Arts in the late 1950s, Yanagihara has been considerably influenced by the experiences he gained during two periods of teaching in the United States in 1966-8 and 1972-4. His use of gold and silver - a wry comment, he has explained, on the decaying values of contemporary society and the corruption of Japan's political system - echoes the extravagant style of certain North American artists.”

A playful troupe of elephants parade around the rim of this early bowl by Shigemori Yoko enclosed in a signed wooden box titled Zobachi. The creatures are in relief, raised from the surface, not engraved into it. This was made by pressing the clay slab onto a surface into which were engraved the family of creatures. It is roughly 13cm 12.7 cm (over 5 inches) diameter, 6 cm (2-1/4 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Shigemori Yoko (1953-2021) was born in Kagoshima. Yoko came to Kyoto where she initially studied painting at the Kyoto Tankidai Art College, then moved to ceramics at the Kyoto Municipal Art University where she studied traditional pottery techniques under Kondo Yutaka before entering advanced courses under avant-garde Yagi Kazuo, graduating in 1979. Her first solo exhibitions were held while still a student at Gallery Iteza in Kyoto. She eschewed the world of competitive exhibitions in favor of the intimacy of private galleries, and her list of solo exhibitions is expansive. She received the Yagi Kazuo prize in 1986 and 1988 at the Nihon Gendai Togeiten National Modern Ceramics Exhibition. She was one of five artists featured in Toh, volume 76, the first issue dedicated to Kyoto potters. Toh was, at the time

Each uniquely carved row of frets on this large textured vase is a variegated shade of raw clay by Mihara Ken enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The vase is 10 inches (25.5 cm) tall, 8-1/2 by 5-1/2 inches (22 x 14.5 cm) and dates circa 1994. Ken was born in Shimane prefecture in 1958, and apprenticed under Funaki Kenji at the age of 23. He has been exhibited and or prized at the All Japan Ceramic Exhibition (Nihon Togei Ten), Asahi Ceramic Exhibition, the National Traditional Crafts Exhibition (Nihon Dento Kogei Ten) as well as the Tanabe Museum Chanoyu no Zokei Ten (Modern tea forms Sculpture Exhibition). He has displayed in both Europe and America and is held in the permanent collection of the Tanabe Museum of Art and the New Orleans Museum of Art among others.

A red Sado Mumyoi-yaki Tokkuri (Shuchu) by Living National Treasure Ito Sekisui V enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 5 inches (13 cm) tall and in excellent condition.
Ito Sekisui V (Yoichi) is the 14th generation of the family to follow in the pottery tradition. His father, Ito Sekisui IV, died when Yoichi was only 19. Upon completion of studies at Kyoto University in 1966, he returned to his hometown of Sado to succeed the lineage. His work was displayed for the first time at the Nihon Dento Kogeiten (National Traditional d Crafts Exhibition) in 1972. The following year he won first prize at the Nihon Togeiten (Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition). In the 1980s, Sekisui V started to create neriage works as well as his family's traditional mumyoi-yaki pieces, and in 2003 he was appointed a Living National Treasure for his work in these fields.

A double gourd shaped covered water jar by Tsukigata Nahiko enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Oni-Shino Mizusashi and inside named Robai-ju (Robai is a type of early blossoming plum, Ju is ball). It is just under 7 inches (17.5 cm) diameter, 6 inches (15 cm) tall and in excellent condition.
Tsukigata Nahiko (1923-2006) was not only an accomplished ceramic artist, but also a painter, calligrapher, sculptor and musician. Born in Niigata prefecture, he was at Waseda University in 1941 when he was summarily drafted into the Army. After the war he attended the Arts course of Nippon Daigaku University and was struck by the works of Living National Treasure Arakawa Toyozo, to whom he apprenticed in the arts of Shino and took his mentors work to a new level. Like all art, his was alive and always evolving. Starting with the replication and research of Momoyama techniques to the culmination of his efforts in Oni-shino, Nahiko has taken Shino beyond all others. It was not an easy road, for the first 15 years he worked for a ballet school, spent time as a recluse priest at Myoanji temple, and wandered the country playing the shakuhachi. It was a time of great change in Japan, starvation was rampant immediately after the war and supporting oneself through the little-known art of Shino-yaki was difficult. However, he persevered, along with Toyozo, Kato Juuemon, Kato Kohei and others, to bring Shino to the forefront of ceramic arts. Heavily prized domestically and abroad in his lifetime, his low output and unique quality make his work a must have for collectors.

Sunrise colors grow gradually lighter toward the top of this odd shaped vessel culminating in brilliant pink by Miyashita Zenji enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Saidei Kaki. It is 31 cm (12 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Miyashita Zenji (1939-2012) was born into the family of potter Miyashita Zenju, and graduated the Kyoto Municipal University of Art under Kiyomizu Kyubei and Kusube Yaichi. Starting with the most difficult, he worked from Celadon, which relies on shape and extreme control of firing. He began exhibiting in the annual Nitten exhibitions in 1964, eventually winning eighteen prizes. According to the Sackler, which holds 6 works by him, “ His mature work was a modern embodiment of a classic Kyoto mode associated with the Heian period (794–1185). He applied delicate layers of color—reminiscent of multilayered court robes or decorated papers made for inscribing poetry—using not over-glaze enamels or glazes but clay itself, dyed with mineral pigments”. He is held in the aforementioned Freer-Sackler, the British Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art New York, and the Brooklyn Museum the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the Museum of Fine Arts Houston and of course The National Museums of Modern Art both in Kyoto and Tokyo among a host of others.

Clusters cling to the bottom of this heavily encrusted small bottle scorched black and off kilter which must have become lost in the embers by Osako Mikio enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Ko-tsubo. It is roughly 8 cm (3-1\4 inches) diameter, 9.5 cm (4 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Osako Mikio (1940-1995), born in Usa Oita prefecture on the Island of Kyushu, arrived at ceramics late in life, starting to study with Ezaki Issei at the Tokonmane ceramic Research Center in 1968 and staying with his teacher until he built his first kiln in 1982.. He received Grand Prize at the International Biennial of Ceramics in Vallauris, France in 1972. Known for his yakishime and ash glazed pottery, His profound understanding of wood firing, post firing and pottery in general was exceptional and his forms and surfaces are mature beyond his years of experience. A fitting quote by Dr. Frederick Baekeland from the catalogue; Modern Japanese Ceramics in American Collections, sums up the true nature of the potter and his pots; “The strong, conventional potting and rich sobriety of Osako’s ceramics appeal to modern taste and accords well with the aesthetic canons of the tea ceremony.”

Here is a masterpiece by Wakao Toshisada, one of the great artists of the post-war era who helped to revive the Shino tradition (now one of the most popular Japanese forms) from extinction. An early masterpiece by the artist showing his abilities from inception, this bowl was selected for the cover of the exhibition invitation card in 1973 (card included). It is 14 cm (5-1/2 inches) diameter, 9 cm (3-1/2 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Wakao Toshisada was born in Tajimi, Gifu prefecture, home of Mino pottery, in 1933. He was first recognized at the New Crafts exhibition of 1960, the same year he was first exhibited at the Central Japan Art Exhibition. Three years later he made his debut at the Asahi Ceramics Exhibition, following in 1965 with the National Traditional Crafts Exhibition. In 1971 he first exhibited with the Nihon Togeiten (All Japan Ceramics Exhibition) and was awarded the following year the New Mino Artists Prize, gathering acclaim as a leader in the field. After many domestic and International exhibits, he was awarded the Kato Kohei prize in 1986. and was recipient of the prestigious Japan Ceramics Society (JCS) Award in 1989. He was named an intangible cultural asset of Tajimi city in 1995, and of Gifu Prefecture in 2003, and works by the artist are held in the Museum of Modern Art Tokyo, V&A, Freer Gallery and Sackler among many others.

Iron glaze with hakeme brushed slip design by Koie Ryoji enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled simply Chawan. There is something of a midcentury abstract expressionist painting to it, with minimal coloration, it stands out in its minimalism and simplicity with a quiet elegance. The brush stroke is consistent both inside and out, not allowing a boundary at the rim. It is 14 cm (5-1/2 inches) diameter, 8.5 cm (3-1/4 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Koie Ryoji (1938-2020)) was born in Tokoname and graduated the Tokoname industrial school before moving on to work at a tile factory in 1957, where he would lose two fingers in an industrial accident. Faced with this handicap, he entered the City Ceramics Research Facility in 1962 where he furthered his studies and his unique style began to coagulate. In 1966 he established his own studio. By the early 70s his work was garnering attention overseas and he has since been largely displayed and prizedculminating in a lifetime with the Japan Ceramic Society Gold Award in 2008, the most prestigious of pottery prizes in Japan. Work by him is held in the collections of the National Museums of Modern Art in both Tokyo and Kyoto, Yamaguchi Prefectural Museum of Art, Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art, Idemitsu Museum, The Museum of Fine Art in Gifu, Victoria & Albert Museum in London, Seoul Museum of Art in Korea, and the National Gallery of Victoria, Australia among many other public and private collections.

A humble crackled white bowl by Koie Ryoji enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled simply Chawan. Inside drops of spilled ink and a bit of blank canvas (raw earth) like a minimalist painting from the 1950s. It is 14.5 cm (5-5/8 inches) diameter, 8 cm (3-1/4 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Koie Ryoji (1938-2020)) was born in Tokoname and graduated the Tokoname industrial school before moving on to work at a tile factory in 1957, where he would lose two fingers in an industrial accident. Faced with this handicap, he entered the City Ceramics Research Facility in 1962 where he furthered his studies and his unique style began to coagulate. In 1966 he established his own studio. By the early 70s his work was garnering attention overseas and he has since been largely displayed and prized culminating in a lifetime with the Japan Ceramic Society Gold Award in 2008, the most prestigious of pottery prizes in Japan. Work by him is held in the collections of the National Museums of Modern Art in both Tokyo and Kyoto, Yamaguchi Prefectural Museum of Art, Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art, Idemitsu Museum, The Museum of Fine Art in Gifu, Victoria & Albert Museum in London, Seoul Museum of Art in Korea, and the National Gallery of Victoria, Australia among many other public and private collections.

A slightly more austere work completing this tea set by Kanzaki Shiho enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Shigaraki Chawan and named inside the lid Amidha-Do (Hall of Amitabha). Here the artist has refrained from over-decoration, allowing the natural color and texture of the terracotta clay to dominate. It is 5-1/4 inches (13.3 cm) diameter, 3-1/2 inches (9 cm) tall and in excellent condition, dating circa 1990.
Kanzaki Shiho (1942-2018) preferred firing his kiln for ten days, resulting in the rich textures and heavy ash deposits apparent on his work. He was born in Shigaraki, and was fast tracked into the Kansai University Law Department, but rather the life of a lawyer, after graduation he went with his heart to take up the precarious life of a potter, apprenticing under Mino artist Matsuyama Suketoshi. Later he returned to Shigaraki working there at the research center while developing his own style and methods with the Anagama. He consistently stayed with the personal world of private exhibitions, developing a large following both at home and abroad and his list of exhibitions is impressive. He has been the subject of several documentaries and Television interviews, and is widely published. For more information see, The Fire Artist, a documentary by Canadian Director Claude Gagnon. He unfortunately passed away last year and these may be the last pieces we have by him.

Red Hidasuki lines of straw on austere Bizen clay by the master of that genre Isezaki Mitsuru enclosed in the original signed wooden box. Perfectly turned bowl representing this important artists style. 13 cm (5 inches) diameter, 7 cm (2-3/4 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Isezaki Mitsuru (1934-2010) was born to a family of potters, his father Yozan and younger brother Jun both very important in Bizen pottery. In 1998 Mitsuru was named a Prefectural Intangible Cultural Property for Okayama (the prefectural version of a living National Treasure, likely more important as it is truly based on the artists contributions rather than heredity). He has innumerable exhibitions, including the Nihon Togei-Ten (National Ceramics Exhibition) Nihon Dento Kogei-Ten (National Traditional Crafts Exhibition) and Gendai Togei Ten (Modern Japanese Ceramics Exhibition). In fact his first piece exhibited with the First National Ceramic Exhibition was selected for display in a show which went around the globe. Recipient of the Kaneshige Toyo prize as well as purchased by the Japanese Foreign service as gift to foreign dignitaries. His Hidasuki was considered to be of the highest grade since the Momoyama period.

Orange peel textured black Chawan by Samukawa Seiho I (Yoshikazu 1899-1975) enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Kishu Yaki Nacchi-guro Chawan. It is 5-1/4 inches (13.5 cm) diameter, 3-1/2 inches (9 cm) tall and in excellent condition.
Born in Osaka in 1900 and raised in Kyoto, Samukawa Seiho I began his apprenticeship in tea ware under Sawada Muneyama in 1919. With a letter of introduction he entered the Aichi Prefectural Ceramics Research Facility in 1927. In 1935 he moved to the Buddhist enclave of Koyasan in Wakayama where he established his first kiln. He succeeded with the development of this Nacchi-guro glaze in 1956, and it became one of the signature features of his work. In 1962, his tea bowl was presented to the Emperor. Five years later he would move, re-establishing his kiln in Shirahama-cho. He was awarded the Bunka Rodosho Cultural Prize in 1970, and in 1972 the Wakayama Order of Cultural Merit.

Another Radical piece by Hayashi Shotaro, this dramatic tsubo is thinly veiled in a crystalline feldspathic glaze, the violent eruptions peeling away from the surface catching and pooling the glaze to spectacular effect. It comes enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The piece is 12-1/2 inches 831.5 cm) tall, 10-1/2 inches (27 cm) diameter and in excellent condition. Shotaro (b. 1947) is one of the biggest names in contemporary Mino ceramics. He first began with a 7 year apprenticeship under his older brother Kotaro, ending when he established his own kiln in 1974. Since then his list of exhibitions and awards has been amazing, including the Nihon Dento Kogei Ten (National Traditional Arts and Crafts Exhibition), Governors Prize and five times winner of Best of Show at the Asahi Togei Ten (Asahi Ceramics Exhibition), and Best of Show at Gifu Prefectural Exhibition.

This piece is almost identical to the work submitted by the artist to the 7th Nihon Dento Kogei Ten in 1983 (featured as item number 116 in the catalog for that year) and indeed, shares the title Hi-iro In-mon Tsubo (Flame-Colored Stamp-Patterned Tsubo). It measures 34 cm (13-1/2 inches) diameter, 29.5 cm (12 inches) tall and is in excellent condition.
Kanzaki Muneaki (b 1949) is the fourth generation head of the traditional Mokusen Kiln in Koga, Shigaraki. His works have been exhibited at the Nihon Dento Kogei Ten (National Traditional Crafts Exhibition), Nihon Togeiten (National Ceramics Exhibition), Asahi Togeiten Asahi Ceramics Exhibition) and Chunichi Kokusai Togeiten (Chunichi International Exhibition) among many others.

Crackled green glass pools in the center of this humble tea bowl by Ezaki Issei enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled simply Chawan. The works of Issei personify the humble virtues of the tea ceremony. They are imbued with a sense of Musakui (Lack of intention), a bowl that has come to be, rather than a bowl that was created. It is 15.5 cm (6 inches) diameter, 5.5 cm (2-1/4 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Ezaki Issei (also Esaki, 1918-1992) was born in Tokoname, but came to the road of the potter later in life, establishing himself as an artist in 1956. It was he who set the pattern for the research and revival of medieval techniques. His work was exhibited and awarded at the National Art Exhibition (Nitten), National Traditional Crafts Exhibition (Nihon Dento Kogeiten), Asahi Crafts Fair (Asahi Kogeiten) and the Modern Japanese Ceramics Exhibition (Gendai Nihon Togeiten) among others. He taught both Osako Mikio and Takeuchi Kimiaki, making him likely the most influential 20th century Tokoname artist. After ten years battling sickness and on the slate to be named a living national treasure, he succumbed to illness at the age of 74. Several works by him is held in both the National Museums of Modern Art in Tokyo and Kyoto.

A fabulous form in striking colors by Miwa Eizo enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Hagi Hanaire. Raised from a square, the vase has been flattened, covered in Hagi glaze, then the shorter corners slabbed away revealing the raw clay. Thus fired, it is an engaging work of art, obviously buried slightly in the embers on one side, where it goes from smokey gray to mottled lavender and white into pink as it rises. It is 21 x 21 cm (8 x 8 inches) at the base, 30 cm (12 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Miwa Eizo (1946-1999) was born the second son of Living National Treasure Miwa Kyusetsu XI. He graduated the Private Musashino Art University and was a member of Japanese Traditional Crafts Society, often displayed at their National Exhibition (Nihon Dento Togeiten). He was recipient of top prize at the Tanabe Museums prestigious Modern Tea Forms Exhibition (Gendai Cha no Yu Zokei Ten). ). Unfortunately, he died in 1999 at the early age of fifty two. His brother Ryosaku succeeded the family name as Miwa Kyusetsu XII. He is held in the collection of the British Museum and The National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo among others. For more on this artist see the book: The Ceramic Works of Eizo Miwa (2001) published posthumously by the preeminent Kuroda Toen art gallery of Tokyo.

Although I love Bizen pottery for myself, I rarely offer it on the website as the colors are so subtle and designs often so very Japanese. This Chawan by (certainly for her era) the rare female potter Konishi Toko II is a striking exception. It stands out in a room of Bizen as if ringing a bell. This bowl is slightly smaller than normal, with a feminine grace to be found in the gentle curves, 10.5 cm diameter, 8.5 cm (3-1/4 inches) tall and in excellent condition enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled simply Bizen Chawan. The Sangiri surface is exceptional and smooth, almost wet looking, and covered in meandering waves of hi-iro color. Toko I developed the technique, a way to incorporate different shades of white, blue or gray to high-fired red pottery through oxidation without glaze. Toko II continued and expanded the tradition.
Konishi Toko II (Mitsue, 1927-2018) was born the second daughter of Konishi Toko I (1899-1954) and of course, learned from her father upon completion of her schooling. She took over the family business after her father died in 1954, in a very difficult time for Japan, battling against the effects of modernization and the lingering effects of the war and poverty of the early post war era as well as the handicap of being female in a very male-centric tradition. She was a powerhouse, carrying the kiln through the tumultuous years and was succeeded by her own son Tozo (b. 1957) who heads the family kiln today.

Ash is blasted around from the charred front of this amazing Tsubo by Harada Togetsu enclosed in the original signed wooden box. What an amazing looking piece, highlighting all the best in Bizen qualities. The first time I spotted this piece I could not halt my expressing something about the godlike nature of Feces (oddly?!) It is 10 inches (25 cm) tall, roughly the same diameter and in excellent condition.
Harada Togetsu (b. 1917) began potting in earnest late in life, in the early 60s, breaking out on his own in 1968. Potting more for personal pleasure than business, each piece is hand selected and meets some inner criteria. The kiln is now headed by the second generation.

A unique Yin and Yang vase splashed with two moons, one dark, one light, by Hamada Shoji enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Yakishime Kakiwake Henko. The Ma or use of blank space (here the Yakishime raw clay) is quite unusual for this Mashiko potter. Kakiwake refers to the application of two glazes separated. The vessel is 23 cm (9 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Hamada Shoji (1894-1978) was born in Tokyo, and enrolled in the Tokyo Technical University at the age of 19. In 1918 he met the important British potter Bernard Leach, and the history of ceramic arts was forever changed. One of the most influential and sought after of all Japanese Ceramic artists. He was a significant influence on studio pottery of the twentieth century, and a driving force of the mingei folk-art movement. In 1955 he was designated a "Living National Treasure". There is no shortage of reading material for those who would like to learn more about this potter.

A delightful small tea bowl by one of the greatest potters of the 20th century, Kamoda Shoji, enclosed in a wooden box signed by his wife. Brown glaze is draped quietly across the rough dark clay, the contrast between simplicity and texture a pleasure to hold. It is 4 inches (10 cm) Diameter, 2-1/2 inches (6.5 cm) tall and in excellent condition.
Kamoda Shoji is without a doubt one of the most important and influential ceramic artists of the 20th century. Born in Osaka in 1933, he studied initially at the Kyoto Municipal University of Art under to be Living National Treasure Tomimoto Kenkichi, graduating in 1955. While in school he was awarded at the Shinshokai Exhibition (where he would be often exhibited) and his graduating project was purchased by the University Museum. While working a stint at a commercial kiln, he was accepted into the Contemporary Japanese Ceramics Exhibition. In 1958 he took up residence at the Tsukamoto Ceramics Research Kiln in Mashiko, establishing his own kiln there in 1961. That same year he was accepted into the National Traditional Arts and Crafts Exhibition (Nihon Dento Kogeiten) where he would exhibit until 1967. In 1964 he boldly stepped onto the stage with pieces in the Modern Japanese Ceramics Exhibition held at the National Museum of Modern Art in Kyoto; International Contemporary Ceramics Exhibition held at Tokyo National Museum, and the New Generation of Ceramics Exhibition held at the Goto Museum. He would receive the JCS (Japan Ceramics Society) Award that year, one of the most important prizes for a Japanese potter. In 1966 his work was presented in New York at the First Japan Art Festival, granting him international acclaim to add to his growing domestic reputation and he would receive the JCS Gold Prize that year, cementing his reputation. Thereafter his work was much celebrated in the world of invitational exhibitions and he would receive many awards. In 1969 he moved his kiln, and would again relocate a decade later. He died suddenly at the age of 49 in 1983. His work would be the subject of a multitude of posthumous exhibitions, starting with the Tochigi Prefectural Museum on the third anniversary of his death, and the following year at the Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art. His work is held in the National Museums of Modern Art, both in Tokyo and Kyoto, Hiroshima Prefectural Museum of Art, Tochigi Prefectural Museum of Art, Iwate Museum of Art, Victoria & Albert Museum, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, and Beijing Palace Museum among many others. For more see: Japanese Ceramics Today: Masterworks from the Kikuchi Collection (1983), Japanese Studio Crafts by Rupert Faulkner (1995) or Into the Fold: Contemporary Japanese Ceramics from the Horvitz Collection (2015).

Five for silver… Six for gold… Seven for the secret….Suzuki Goro is counting crows surrounding the epitaph in the center of this Kuro-Shino Kataguchi bowl enclosed in the original signed wooden box. In the center we hear the words of Noguchi Ujo’s 1921 hit song “Karasu naze naku no? Karasu ha yama ni kawai nanatsu no ko ga aru kara yo…” (Why does the crow call? It calls for seven lovely children in the mountains…). As with everything there are many allusions in the lyrics, and much is either implied or left unsaid. ‘Seven children is a simple euphemism for many. The relaxed form is very much a product of this vivacious artist, whose lust for life is apparent in all he creates. The subject manner is yet quite unusual and striking for its audacity. The bowl is 13 inches (33 cm) diameter, 10 cm (4 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Suzuki Goro has a list of shows and prizes too lengthy to go through, but the highlights are, Nitten National Art Exhibition, Nihon Shin Kogei Ten (New National Crafts Exhibition), Nihon Gendai Kogei Ten (National Modern Crafts Exhibition), Asahi Togei Ten-(First of Show and governors prize), as well as the Kofukai Ten among many others. He has a strong and devout following both domestic and international.

A striking large Tsubo in silvered Bizen ware by innovative Bizen artist Matsui Tomoyuki enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Bizen Ginsai Tsubo and dating circa 1990. It exhibits all the features of great Bizen, the smooth clay struck with flashes of darker color. The sense is that of seeing a Bizen Tsubo in an old tintype photograph, a most unique approach. It is 10-1/2 inches (27 cm) diameter, 12 inches (30 cm) tall and in excellent condition.
Matsui Tomoyuki is one of the leading ceramic artist of Bizen and was designated an Okayama prefectural Intangible Cultural Asset in 1996 (the prefectural version of a living national treasure). Born an outsider to the Bizen community in 1931, he hails from Kumamoto prefecture, on the Southern Island of Kyushu. He graduated the National Kyoto Ceramics Research Institut in 1950, and then studied under Morino Kako. In 1960 he moved to Bizen to work in the Okayama prefectural Bizen Pottery Center. While there he was first selected for the Japan Traditional Arts & Crafts Exhibition (Nihon Dento Kogeiten) in 1966 and subsequently for the first National Ceramic Art Exhibition (Nihon Togei Ten) in 1971. He left the ceramics facility and established his own kiln in Bizen in 1973. Although it would not have been easy as an outsider, he was granted the Kaneshige Toyo Prize in 1980, one of the most important awards available to Bizen potters. That same year his “Bizen Ginsai O-zara Platter (in the same style as this piece) was taken in to the collection of Ise Jingu Shrine. The following year he would receive the Okayama prefectural culture service prize. The next decade would see many aards and an effort on private exhibitions as well as many public events culminating with him serving as Judge of the Okayama prefectural Art Exhibition. Throughout the 90s his contributions to the art world would gain recognition being designated a holder of Intangible Cultural Assets in 1996 and then named an Okayama Prefectural Intangible Cultural Asset in 1997. That same year his work was exhibited as part of a group exhibition at the French National Ceramics Art Musuem, He was granted the Okayama prefectural culture prize in 1998. With a new century he established a new Kiln, completing construction in 2001 and his carreer would continue garnering prizes and his influence on subsequent generations of Bizen potters would become apparent.

Ash fills the embedded patterns on this Kiln-altered Tsutsu-gata bowl by Living National Treasure Shimaoka Tatsuzo enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Yohen Zogan Jomon Wan. Crisp black charring and the various depths of ash are a bit of a departure for this artist whose work is often sedate, relying on the texture and patterns of the Jomon rope design over dependence on colorful glazes. It is 11 cm (4-1/2 inches) diameter, 10 cm (4 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Shimaoka Tatsuzo (1919-2007) was born in Tokyo and enrolled in the Tokyo Kogei Daigaku Ceramics division in 1939. The following year he would meet Mashiko Mingei potter Hamada Shoji, and the course of his life was thought set, graduating in 1941. However he was drafted in 1942, and sent to Burma where he would remain until repatriation after the cessation of hostilities. In 1946 Tatsuzo apprenticed under Hamada who encouraged him to find his own voice, which he did when in 1950 took part in research into ancient Jomon potteries with Shirasaki Shunji, which would have a profound influence on his style. Working with Jomon rope patterns, Tatsuzo set out to create a style unique to himself, establishing his own kiln in 1954. Widely exhibited, awarded and influential in his lifetime, he received the Japan Ceramic Society Gold award in 1994, one of the highest honors for a Japanese ceramic artist, and was designated a Living National Treasure (Juyo Mukei Bunkazai or Ningenkokuho) in 1996 culminating with receiving the Order of the Rising Sun in 1999.

Black green and silver bands like a core sample of crustal layers from some fantastic planet decorate the brushed and impressed clay of this large piece by Kyoto Artist Morino Taimei enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The vase is 10-1/2 inches (26.5 cm) tall, 9-1/2 by 5 inches (24 x 12.5 cm) and is in perfect condition. The box as well is like new. Taimei was born in Kyoto in 1934, and was first accepted into the Nitten National Exhibition at a relatively young age in 1957 (a year before graduating the Kyoto Municipal University of Fine Art!). In 1960 he received the prestigious Hokutosho prize at the same National Exhibition. In the early 60s he worked as a guest professor at the University of Chicago. Upon his return to Japan his career began to lift off with a second Hokutosho Prize at the Nitten, followed by The governors prize and others at the Gendai Kogei Ten (Modern National Crafts Exhibition). He was subsequently selected for display at the Kyoto and Tokyo National Museums in 1972 and was accepted into the first Nihon Togei Ten that same year. Since his list of exhibitions and prizes has continued to grow, with subsequent selections in the Tokyo and Kyoto museums of Art, as well as exhibitions in Paris, Italy, America, Canada, Denmark and others. Last year he received the Japan Art Academy Prize, an award to a work of art similar in weight to the bestowing of Living National Treasure to an artist. This puts the artist in a small club, rare and important, adding this to a collection honors the culmination of a life-times work.

A patterned Seki vase by Ito Shin enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Hai-mon Hanaike (Ash Pattern Vase). The patterns remind me of the patterns on an Ainu Robe. Stoneware, it is 38 cm (15 inches) tall and in excellent condition. Ito Shin was born in Chiba in 1952 and has lived in worked in Mashiko in Tochigi Prefecture. He studied under Kikuchi Akira, another Mashiko artist. He is a member of the Dento Kogeikai, or traditional arts guild and also the Japan Ceramics Exhibition and has been selected to exhibit in these shows since 1977.

A beautiful faceted white glazed Sencha set for steeped tea by Living National Treasure Shimizu Uichi enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Haku-yu Bancha-ki (White glazed Set for Bancha Tea). The cups are roughly 7.5 cm (3 inches) diameter, the same height and all are in excellent condition.
Shimizu Uichi (1926-2004) was born in Kyoto the son of a ceramic dealer. Discarding the family business, he apprenticed in plastic arts under future Living National Treasure Ishiguro Munemaro. His work retains some principal elements of his teachers style while incorporating an understated elegance and avant-garde spirit of challenge uncommon for his time. He was first exhibited at the Nitten in 1951, receiving numerous awards there since. He also took the gold medal at the Prague International Exhibition, and was at the Brussels World Exposition. He is in the collection of the Tokyo National Museum, Kyoto Museum of Modern art, Clark Center and the Freer Gallery among many others.

An historically important work by Furutani Hiromu (Churoku I) from the initial firing of their newly established Nobori-gama climbing kiln in 1974. This type of work is called Hatsugama, or first from the kiln. It is the only piece in the show from the climbing kiln (which has not been fired in over 20 years) and the earliest piece in the show as well. It is 32 x 8 x 35 cm (13 x 3 x 14 inches) and in excellent condition, directly from the family.
Furutani Taketoshi was born the son of master craftsman Furutani Hirofumi in 1974, graduating the Shigaraki Industrial High School Ceramics department in 1992 before entering the Shiga prefectural Ceramics Research Facility where he learned first Small Rokuro wheel technique, graduating the following year. In 1993 he would find himself under the tutelage of Suzuki Iwau before re-entering for a second course at the Research Facility, graduating in 1995. From then he returned to the family kiln where he learned in the time-honored tradition from both his grandfather Churoku I and father Hirofumi (Churokuk II). In 2013 he was named a Dento Kogeishi Traditional Craftsman. Since he has exhibited consistently at the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition. Subverting the self, he makes simple, organic pots which have a timeless quality. As well he dares new forms and challenges the clay with innovative techniques, coercing from the pliable earth challenging incarnations very much rooted in the now, yet still paying homage to the traditions passed down through the ages.

A most unusual tea bowl charred black on one side which emenates a golden glow on the raw earth opposite, by Bizen living national Treasure Yamamoto Toshu enclosed in the original signed double wood storage box titled Bizen Yohen Chawan (Kiln Altered Tea bowl) with silk wrapping cloth. The beauty of kiln altered works is that they are quite often entirely unique. Something unexpected that occurred inside the kiln during the firing or cooling process, that caused a deviation from the norm or expected result. Yohen is in fact a bit unusual in Bizen ware, and I have never seen another like this particular bowl, with its shimmering golden reflection. Unfortunately the ephemeral effect is very difficult to capture on the camera. It is 5 inches (13 cm) diameter, and in excellent condition.
Yamamoto Toshu (1906-1994) began working in a pottery at the age of 15. 12 years later (1933) he went independent, but interestingly decided to train again later not under a Bizen master, but Kusube Yaichi, perhaps stimulating his unusual eye for Bizen. After much acclaim, it was in 1959 that he made his worldwide appearance, with a gold prize at the Brussels World Exposition, and was named an important cultural property of Okayama that same year. He was most in love with the wheel, and his forms are crisp and sharp. He was named a living national Treasure in 1987. Works by the artist are held in the National Museum of Modern Art Tokyo and National Museum of Modern Art Kyoto as well as the Victoria Albert Museum among many others. For more on this important artist sea the recent exhibition: The Bizen, at the Miho Museum in Shiga prefecture, in which a number of this artists’ works were featured.