Catalog (1092)

A lot of drama in this crispy glazed tsubo deeply scored by the artists fingers, the trailing divets filled with running ash glaze by Murakoshi Takuma, two deep punctures in the side where it sank into the kiln supports, and a large artist performed gold repair where it had adhered to the kiln floor. The gold glimmers from the darkest part of the vessel, where it was charred black from laying in the embers. The fingerlets of flowing ash all circle the body, seeming to point out the flaw, accentuating the character. So raw, it speaks of another world, untamed. It is 37 cm (14-1/2 inches) tall, 33 cm (13 inches) diameter and in excellent condition. It comes with a wooden placard signed by the artist and titled Yakishime Hakkin-sai Otsubo (Unglazed Lage Tsubo with Gold).
Murakoshi Takuma is one of those enigmas who simply lives to work with clay. He does not seek to make a living through pottery, but through his primal approach has earned a following which keeps his work in high demand. He was born in Aichi prefecture in 1954 and began his stroll down the pottery path in 1980 under the tutelage of Kyoto potter Umehara Takehira. Favoring very rough Shigaraki glaze, he established his own kiln in 1997 in the Kiyomizu pottery district of Kyoto, then moved to Nagaoka in 2002. Although eschewing the world of competitive exhibitions, he has been picked up by many of Japan’s preeminent galleries, including private exhibitions at the prestigious Kuroda Toen of Tokyo’s Ginza District.

The bodacious designs dominating the bold forms of Miyake Yojis work have drawn him many fans, one of which is this gallery owner, and this is a fine example enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The vase is 12 x 6 x 9 inches tall (30 x 15 x 23 cm). Born in Shimane in 1950, He studied from 1974 under Ito Kosho, establishing himself as an independent artist three years later in Mashiko. In 1979 his work was accepted into the Dento Kogei Shinsaku Ten (New Exhibition of Traditional Crafts) and displayed there annually thereafter. In 1980 he was accepted into the Nihon Dento Kogei Ten (National Traditional Crafts Exhibition), and many times thereafter. Again the following year he was accepted into yet another major exhibition with the Nihon Togei Ten (All Japan Ceramic Exhibition), once again followed up with repeated acceptance there. Yet in the 90s he turned away from the competitive world and began to concentrate more on private exhibitions, of which he has been hosted many times in some of Japans most prestigious galleries. He was also the subject of an NHK Television Documentary in 1998 and appeared in another in 2000.

A four sided vase in Aka-e design by important 20th century potter Kawamoto Goro enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Aka-e Kamon Hanaike exhibited in 2001 and published in the book Kawamoto Rekitei, Goro, Taro, San-Dai-Ten (Three Generations of Kawamoto Family). It is 27.5 cm (11 inches) tall, 16 cm (6 inches) square and in excellent condition. The Book is included.
Kawamoto Goro (1919-1986) was born in Seto to a family of potters. He studied in Kyoto at the same institution as Kawai Kanjiro and Hamada Shoji. Returning to work at the family kiln, he was later adopted by Kawamoto Rekitei, a famous decorator of pottery. In 1953 he gained first recognition, accepted into the Nitten National Exhibition and garnering top prize at the Asahi Modern Ceramics Exhibition. In 1958 he would be awarded in Brussels, and in 1959 in California and at home was granted the 1959 JCS award, perhaps the most significant honor for a pottery in Japan. Much lauded in and after his lifetime, the list of awards is far too long for this article. Work by him is held in the Kyoto National Museum of Modern Art as well as the The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo among many others.

A fabulous small sculpture titled Metamorphosis by important artist Kumakura Junkichi exhibited at the Museum of Contemporary Ceramic Art at Shigaraki and published in the catalog Junkichi Kumakura Special Exhibition (image 185). It is 20 cm (8 inches) tall, and in excellent condition, enclosed in a modern collectors box.
Junkichi (1920-1985) began working in ceramics in the 1940s, his works submitted to innumerable National and International Exhibitions including the Japan Art Festival, New York and the international Arts and Crafts Exhibition in Florence Italy. He also submitted to the Brussels World Exposition and helped design murals for the World Exposition Osaka. At the International Ceramics Exhibition, Prague in 1962 he took a silver prize. He was also often exhibited and is in the permanent collection of the Japanese National Museum of Modern Art as well as the National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto. Along with Suzuki Osamu, Hikaru Yamada and Yagi Kazuo, Junkichi was one of the founding members of the influential Sodeisha (Crawling Through Mud Association), a group of revolutionary post war ceramic artists whose influence remains strong today.

An iconic large tea bowl by Mino legend Kawamoto Goro enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Haiyu Chawan. It is 13 cm (5 inches) diameter, 9 cm tall and in excellent condition. Kawamoto Goro (1919-1986) was born in Seto to a family of potters. He studied in Kyoto at the same institution as Kawai Kanjiro and Hamada Shoji. Returning to work at the family kiln, he was later adopted by Kawamoto Rekitei, a famous decorator of pottery. In 1953 he gained first recognition, accepted into the Nitten National Exhibition and garnering top prize at the Asahi Modern Ceramics Exhibition. In 1958 he would be awarded in Brussels, and in 1959 in California and at home was granted the 1959 JCS award. Much lauded the list is much too long for this article. work by him is held in the Kyoto National Museum of Modern Art as well as the The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo among many others.

Undoubtedly one of the stars of the show, this dynamic work is a one of a kind, a deeply sculpted vessel by Furutani Taketoshi in austere fire color enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Shigaraki Hi-iro Chokoku Maru-Tsubo.
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.

Crusty black covers this vase by Kumano Kurouemon (also written Kuroemon) enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Echizen Tetsuguro Hanaire. It is 30 cm (12 inches) tall, 15.5 cm (6 inches) diameter and in excellent condition.
A ceramic madman, oil painter and recluse, Kuroemon is as eccentric as his pottery predicts. Born in Fukui prefecture in 1955 Kuroemon was a painter from youth, he began his studies under Fujita Jurouemon in 1976, and moved to study also under Toda Soshiro. Invited to the Soviet Union he spent time there and in Sakhalin in the 80s, returning to Japan to build his own kiln in 1987. He was the feature of a major exhibition in Germany in 2004, but aside from a few small exhibitions held in Japan (which quickly sell out) he remains a humble artist holed up in his mountain hermitage and works by him are not easy to acquire.

We asked Toi for a “Tea Bowl” of his imagining and here we have this unique vision in frothy vivid colors studded with golden spikes. The red and white glazes seem puffed up, while the blue flows naturally between. The raw clay of the base too has been covered in liquefied gold. It is 13 cm diameter plus the thorns and in perfect condition. It comes with a signed wooden box titled Kin Hoshi Konsai Wan directly from the artist.
Masatomo Toi was born in Aichi Prefecture in 1992, and graduated the Design course at the Tajimi Ceramics Research Facility in 2019. Since he has been developing his series of “Thorny” vessels and objects. At the same time he has been studying the way of tea and other traditional arts such as flower arrangement, and his use of negative space is masterful. His works have been featured in a number of group and juried exhibitions. He will soon depart Japan for a year of study and experimentation abroad, and we expect great things in his future.

Colors of the four seasons splash and mingle like a bright and textured tempest on this handled sake server (correctly called Te-tsuki Kata-kuchi) by Murakoshi Takuma enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Shunju Shuchu. The handle is offset to the spout, which at first seems counterintuitive, but works out perfect when pouring. Our man Takuma has done his share of research into the ways of drinking (he prefers shochu these days), and this understanding and unusual approach explains why his shows, mostly made up of pottery for use, quite often sell out to restaurants and izakaya, cementing his legendary status in that market. This katakuchi is in no way mild mannered, measuring 19 x 14 x 15 cm (7-1/2 x 5-1/2 x 6 inches) and is in excellent condition, from the artist this spring.
Murakoshi Takuma is one of those enigmas who simply lives to work with clay. He does not seek to make a living through pottery, but through his primal approach has earned a following which keeps his work in high demand. He was born in Aichi prefecture in 1954 and began his stroll down the pottery path in 1980 under the tutelage of Kyoto potter Umehara Takehira. Favoring very rough Shigaraki glaze, he established his own kiln in 1997 in the Kiyomizu pottery district of Kyoto, then moved to Nagaoka in 2002. Although eschewing the world of competitive exhibitions, he has been picked up by many of Japan’s preeminent galleries, including private exhibitions at the prestigious Kuroda Toen of Tokyo’s Ginza District.

Try describing this incredible Mizusashi covered in glassy Oribe green glaze by important artist Hayashi Shotaro enclosed in the original signed wooden box. Spectacular is all that comes to mind. It is entirely sculptural, with a refinement of glaze only this artist can create. The piece is 7 inches (18 cm) tall, 9 inches (23 cm) diameter and in perfect 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 among many many others.

A dramatic Shino Mizusashi covered in flowing glaze by Sakai Kobu enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 20 cm tall, 19cm diameter and in excellent condition.
“I follow no teacher. I take no disciples. Independent, I don't get along well with public exhibitions”. Kobu Sakai from Toki City, one of Japan’s ceramic heartlands, has mastered Shino through self-study. He succeeded a kiln mass producing generic pottery, but decided he wanted to make his own works. “I walked around the nearby mountains and fields. Any piece of pottery that I encountered in an old kiln became my teacher. His works have been shown in solo exhibitions at department stores, and in 2002, he was designated as an intangible cultural property of Toki City. The 85 year old is well known for developing in the 1990s a blue Shino glaze using Cobalt and Iron Oxides known as Heki-Shino which shocked traditional ideas.

A set of colorful Tokkuri in the shape of squared gourds by Living National Treasure Kato Hajime enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Aka-e Hohyo Tokkuri (red glazed Tokkuri in squared gourd form). About the white bottom are fortuitous characters in green with a belt of blue, yellow and green in the center. They are 15.5 cm (6 inches) tall. There is slight rubbing of the red glaze typical of handling. Enclosed with them is a photocopy from an art book (unknown publication) with an identical set of Tokkuri and the artists biography up until his death in 1968.
Kato Hajime (1900-1968, sometimes referred to as Toshiro, an alternate reading of his name) was born in Seto city, home of a long pottery tradition. However, after serving briefly at the Aichi Prefectural Ceramics School, he moved to rural Mino in Gifu in 1926, another locale long known for its pottery tradition. The following year he was awarded at the 8th Imperial Art Academy Exhibition, the same year was accepted at the first Crafts division Exhibition of the Bunten National Exhibition. In 1937 he would be awarded at the Paris World Exposition. From 1940 he would move to Yokohama, where he would delve extensively into the techniques of Ming decorated porcelain. From 1955 he would serve as head of the ceramics department and the Tokyo National University of Art. His career culminated in being named one of the early Living National Treasures (Juyo Mukei Bunkazai) in 1961. In 1966, he became the president of the Japan Crafts Association and also became an expert committee member on the Council for Protection of Cultural Properties. In 1967 he became professor emeritus of the Tokyo University of the Art. The same year he was awarded the Imperial Order of Cultural Merit (Purple Ribbon) by the reigning Emperor. He was commissioned to decorate the Take-no-ma audience room of the new Imperial Palace in Tokyo.

Mystical heads adorn the four corners of this Persian-blue glazed open vase by Living National Treasure Kato Takuo enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 5 x 4 x 10 inches (11 x 13 x 25.5 cm) and is in excellent condition. Kato Takuo, I am sure, requires no introduction. He was trained in ceramics by both his father, Kato Kobei, and at the Kyoto School of ceramics. He was soon accepted and consistently displayed at any number of National and International Exhibitions, and was named an Intangible Cultural Asset in 1995. This is a rare opportunity to acquire a piece by this highly sought Japanese Artist.

White dots pattern the scalloped swirling form of this vase by Kitamura Junko enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The vase is 7-1/2 inches (19 cm) tall, 5-1/2 inches (14 cm) diameter and in excellent condition.
Kitamura Junko learned under the tutelage of Suzuki Osamu and Kondo Yutaka of the influential Sodeisha. Like Mashiko artist Shimaoka Tatsuzo, her work is influenced by Jomon pottery, however her approach is very different. After impressing patterns into the clay with bamboo and firing once with a dark slip, the impressions are painstakingly filled with white slip, defining the pattern, and fired again. Works by the artist are held in many public collections, including the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo; the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Houston Museum of Art and Brooklyn Museum of Art among many others. For more on this artist see Touch Fire: Contemporary Japanese Ceramics by Women Artists (2009) or Soaring Voices, Contemporary Japanese Women Ceramic Artists (2009)

The elegance of these works by Fukami has created a stir in the collecting world which has not abated over the last 25 years. Offered here a rare wing (or blade as some describe them) object by world renowned Fukami Sueharu dating circa 2006 enclosed in the original wooden box titled “Tenku”, signed and stamped by the artist. It is mounted on a wooden base, and comes with an artist designed metal stand (all fit in the box). The sculpture is 13 inches (33 cm) long and is in perfect condition.
Fukami 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. The list of museums holding his work is, in fact, much to long for this page, but includes the National Museums of Modern Art, Tokyo /Kyoto / and Osaka, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY, Brooklyn Museum, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Philadelphia St. Louis, Portland, Chicago, Minneapolis, Smithsonian, British Museum, Victoria & Albert Museum, Musée national de céramique, Sèvres, Musée des arts décoratifs, Paris, Hetjens Museum, Düsseldorf and the National Gallery of Australia among many others

A very rare set of 5 sencha tea cups by porcelain legend Fukami Sueharu enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Kiji Kumidashi Wan (yellow Celadon Tea Cups). Each cup is 9 cm (3-1/2 inches) diameter, 6 cm (2-1/2 inches) tall and in excellent condition. There is a stain in the box between the title and signature.
Fukami Sueharu is synonymous with seihakuji celadon. Born in Kyoto in 1947, he graduated the Kyoto Ceramics Research School in 1965. It was in 1981 that he was first recognized followed by grand prize at the Chunichi International Ceramics Exhibition the following year. In ’84 he would be awarded at the Nitten National Art Exhibition, and in ’85 received grand prize at the Faenza International Ceramic Exhibition, Italy. He would receive the prestigious JCS award in 1992 and the Order of Cultural Merit for Kyoto soon thereafter. He has been displayed at the Nitten, Nihon Togei Ten (National Japanese Ceramic Exhibition) Chunichi Kokusai Togeiten, and Nihon Gendai Kogei Ten (National Japanese Modern Crafts Exhibition) among many others. In 2011 he was exhibited in the Clark Center, California, and was one of a very few potters to receive the important JCS Gold Award in 2012. His work is held in the National Museums of Modern Art in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, an astounding fact for a living artist. Also Aichi Prefectural Ceramic Museum, Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum, Musée Tomo, Museum of Modern Ceramic Art in Gifu, Shiga Museum of Contemporary Ceramic Art among other in Japan, and overseas The New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, Brooklyn Museum, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Freer/Galleries at the Smithsonian, Yale University Art Gallery, Harvard Art Museum, Houston Museum of Fine Arts, Art Institute of Chicago, Ackland Art Museum, Portland Art Museum, Saint Louis Art Museum, New Orleans Museum of Art, Everson Museum of Art, Spencer Museum of Art, National Gallery of Australia, The British Museum, The V&A, Sevres Musée national de céramique, Faenze Museo Internazionale delle Ceramiche, Museum of contemporary Art, Belgrade and Museo de Arte Moderno de Buenos Aires among many 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 rare sake set by Kamoda Shoji enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Haiyu Tokkuri-Hai Hitokumi (Ash Glazed Flask and Cups, 1 set). The Tokkuri is 13.5 cm (5 inches) tall, the cups are 6 cm (2-1/4 inches) diameter and all are in excellent condition dating circa 1965.
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).

A rare Mizusashi in rust colored glaze by Living National Treasure Hamada Shoji enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Kaki-yu Ori-e Mizusashi. It is roughly 15 cm diameter, the same height 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).

Two shades of black form ethnic patterns on this hishigata vessel by Kiyomizu Rokubei dating circa 1960 nearly identical to figure 12 (page 85) of the catalog Yagi Kazuo to Kiyomizu Rokubei exhibited at the Muse Tomo in Tokyo in 2017. It is 18 x 13 x 24.5 cm (roughly 7 x 5 x 10 inches) and is in excellent condition. This came from the Rokubei family estate. No box
Kiyomizu Kyubei (1922-2006) was born Tsukamoto Hiroshi in Nagoya. He graduated from Nagoya Industrial High School (now the Nagoya Institute of Technology), majoring in architecture. Coming of age during the war years was not easy. he worked in glass and metal before being adopted into the Kiyomizu family in 1951. In 1953 he graduated from the Tokyo University of the Arts, majoring in metal casting. In 1958 he continued his studies of sculpture under under Shigeru Senno, while working in clay at the Rokubei kiln. In 1963 he became an assistant professor at the Kyoto City University of Arts, advancing to full professor in 1968. He then took a one year sabbatical in Italy and since has received many prizes including the 17th Mainichi Arts Award in 1976 and the Excellence Award at the Henry Moore Grand Prize Exhibition in 1979. He succeeded as head of the Kiyomizu Family in 1980, relinquishing the reins to his son Masahiro in 2000. According to the catalog from the recent Kyubei/Kazuo exhibtion “The works by Kiyomizu Hiroshi dating from the 1950s display handsome, geometric forms. Design like consideration is a sensibility shared by many ceramicists today and he gives us an impression that he was ahead of his time.
The National Museums of Modern Art in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka hod 16 works

A hard to find Silver Mist Series Chawan by Kondo Takahiro, enigmatic sgraffito under twilight blue covered in droplets of silver dew enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 9 cm (3-3/4 inches) tall, 10.5 cm (4 inches) diameter and in excellent condition.
Kondo Takahiro (b. 1958) was born the grandson of Living National Treasure Kondo Yuzo. However, he graduated Hosei University not with a degree in sculpture or crafts, but in Literature. From there he studied at the Kyoto Prefectural Technical Institute of Ceramics, followed by a year at the Kyoto Municipal Institute of Industrial Research. 15 years later he would spend a year in Edinburgh studying glass making, and with this combination of skills, was born the silver mist series for which he is so highly acclaimed. Work by him is held in Museums throughout the world, including the National Museum of Scotland, Brooklyn Museum of Art, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Museum of Arts & Design, New York, Spencer Museum of Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Art Gallery NSW, Sydney, Hamilton Art Gallery, Australia, Miho Museum. National Gallery of Victoria, Paramita Museum, The Museum of Contemporary Ceramic Art, Shigaraki, and The São Paulo Museum of Art, Brazil among others. Without a doubt one of the most important contemporary artists in Japan today. For more see Celestial Ceramics: The Art of Kondo Takahiro (2002)

Layers of color in an amorphic form like a jellyfish (or perhaps when smoiking like an underwater volcano) by Miyashita Zenji enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Deisai Koki, Umi no Ho　（Colored Clay Incense Vessel, （Musical） Score of the Sea）．It is 21 x 19 x 10 cm (8 x 7-1/2 x 4 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.

An unusual brilliantly colored fresh water jar for the tea ceremony by Living National Treasure Tokuda Masahiko (Yasokichi III) enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It ocmes with the original black lacquered lid. It is 14cm (5-1/2 inches) diameter 20.5cm(8 inches) tall and in perfect condition. There are chips to the lacquer on the handle of the lid, which are currently being professionally repaired.
Tokuda Yasokichi III (Masahiko, 1933-2009) was born the first son of Tokuda Yasokichi II who had been adopted as a teenager into the Tokuda family. Masahiko graduated from the Kanazawa school of arts, and took up apprenticeship under his grandfather and father Yasokichi I & II. Well versed in orthodox Kutani design, he broke with tradition developing his own unique style titled Saiyu in the 1970s. By broadening his spectrum with this new style of Kutani ware he garnered considerable attention. In 1986, he was named a Bearer of Important Intangible Cultural Assets by Ishikawa Prefecture (local version of Living National Treasure) and a decade later was designated Living National Treasure in 1997 for his supremacy in the use of Kutani glazes. Yasokichi III, His works are held by the Polk Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art New York, The British Museum, the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Smithsonian, the Indianapolis Museum of Art and Kanazawa Contemporary Museum of Art among many others.

Pale clay baked red with a dusting of natural ash glaze and small streaming rivulets complimenting the undulating ribbons billowing pell-mell from the top of this odd shaped sculptural vase by Kiyomizu Rokubei VII (1922-2006) enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The piece is 9 inches (23.5 cm) tall, 7-1/2 inches (19 cm) wide and in excellent condition. The Kiyomizu family potters managed one of the most productive workshops in Kyoto’s Gojozaka district from the second half of the Edo period. From the Meiji they began producing tableware for export and special pieces for government-sponsored exhibitions under Rokubei V. The workshop declined after World War II but was revived by Kiyomizu Rokubei VII, an adopted artist from Aichi prefecture. A graduate of the Tokyo University of Fine Art, he was a trained sculptor specializing in, in addition to clay, media like metal, glass, wood, paper and photography. Rokubei studied in Italy from the 1969-1970, and was a common contributor to the Nitten (under the name Hiroshi) Receiving the Hokuto-sho prize there and later serving on the selection committee. He is also well known for sculptures. He succeeded the family name in 1987 and also used the name Kyubei. Kiyomizu Rokubei VIII, is now head of the kiln. For more on this important artist see Contemporry Clay, Japanese Ceramics for the New Century by Joe Earle, ISBN O-87846-696-7.

A rare set of small early earthy dishes by Kiyomizu Rokubei VII enclosed in the original wooden box signed Hiroshi titled Ki-yu Memezara roku-iri (6 Yellow Glazed Small Dishes). Dating from the 1950s, the shapes are flawless, and show the mastery of design for which this artist would become known. They are 14 cm (5-1/2 inches) diameter and all are in excellent condition.
Kiyomizu Kyubei (1922-2006) was born Tsukamoto Hiroshi in Nagoya. He graduated from Nagoya Industrial High School (now the Nagoya Institute of Technology), majoring in architecture. Coming of age during the war years was not easy. he worked in glass and metal before being adopted into the Kiyomizu family in 1951. In 1953 he graduated from the Tokyo University of the Arts, majoring in metal casting. In 1958 he continued his studies of sculpture under under Shigeru Senno, while working in clay at the Rokubei kiln. In 1963 he became an assistant professor at the Kyoto City University of Arts, advancing to full professor in 1968. He then took a one year sabbatical in Italy and since has received many prizes including the 17th Mainichi Arts Award in 1976 and the Excellence Award at the Henry Moore Grand Prize Exhibition in 1979. He succeeded as head of the Kiyomizu Family in 1980, relinquishing the reins to his son Masahiro in 2000. According to the catalog from the recent Kyubei/Kazuo exhibition “The works by Kiyomizu Hiroshi dating from the 1950s display handsome, geometric forms. Design like consideration is a sensibility shared by many ceramicists today and he gives us an impression that he was ahead of his time. The National Museums of Modern Art in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka hold 16 works by this important artist.

A hard to find water jar of rough clay scored and scarred and covered in cream colored glaze splashed with red by Yamada Kazu enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Kaku-yu Oribe Mizusashi. This style is distinct to this artist, and easily recognizable as his work. It is 22 cm (8-1/2 inches) tall, 20.5 cm (8 inches) diameter and in excellent condition.
Yamada Kazu was born in Tokoname city in 1954, one of Japans ancient kiln areas, into a line of potters. He would have been influenced early on by his father, Yamada Kenkichi and uncle living National Treasure Yamada Jozan. He graduated the Osaka Art University before moving to Echizen to establish his first kiln. He was propelled to international fame after building an Anagama kiln in Germany in 1988. He has been displayed domestically at the Asahi Togeiten, Nihon Togeiten and Chunichi Kokusai Togeiten as well as a host of private exhibitions in prominent galleries and department stores, and his innovative forms and designs are in high demand.

rta A bold work by 20th century potter Shimizu Jun enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Red Rocet. The platter is 16 inches (40.5 cm) diameter, 2-1/2 inches (6 cm) tall and in perfect condition. Jun was born in Osaka in 1951, graduating the Osaka City Industrial Institute (Metalworking) in 1969, upon which time he moved to the Kyoto Ceramics Research Facility. Avoiding the political world of National competition, Jun concentrated on Local events as a forum for exposure, beginning with the Kyo-Ten (Kyoto Prefectural Art Exhibition) in 1971. Since 1979 works have been displayed at the Nihon Shin Kogei Ten (Japan New Crafts Exhibition). This piece dates circa that era.

A tall bottle of hand blown clear glass wth a swirling strip of red by Nakashima Yasushi. The top is ground to a smooth finish, and it wears a a dimpled, heavy glass, cap with matching red swirl caps. Signed on the base Y Nakashima. It is 15 inches (38.5 cm) tall and in excellent condition.
Nakashima Yasushi (1938-2017) was born in Hyogo prefecture and graduated the Kyoto Municipal University of Art in 1962. While still at university he was accepted into the Mainichi Kogyo Design exhibition. He began his career as a designer for Hino Automotive, in charge of their top model the Contessa. However dissatisfied with the opportunities there he moved to Nisshin Denki where he headed up the lighting design department. He left Nisshin in 1974, and began his own career as an independent artist, focused on the plastic arts of glass and ceramic while maintaining his contacts in the design world. With his past in lighting, he was innovative in creating works which combined glass, pottery, metal and electric lights. This did not deter him from consulting in other areas of design, and he was awarded at the National Catalog and Poster Exhibition in 1978. Although he would remain unaffiliated, a difficult place to be in group conscious Japan, he would be accepted into many of the National exhibitions including the National Traditional Crafts Exhibition and awarded at a number of important events, including the National Craft Exhibition, National Modern Ceramic Sculpture Exhibition (and the Shigaraki Ceramics Exhibition in 1999. One monumental work stands in the park in Toki City, Gifu prefecture. He is held in the collections of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts and Ringling Museum among others.

Iron and ash flow into vivid dark pools in the center of these 5 leaf shaped slabs by Murakoshi Takuma enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Mokuha Itazara zen (Leaf Shaped Slab Dish Set). Size, shape, color, texture: these are perfect for showing off your signature dish with style. They are roughly 18 x 20 cm (7 x 8 inches), nearly 2 cm thick and in excellent condition, directly from the artist this autumn.
Murakoshi Takuma is one of those enigmas who simply lives to work with clay. He does not seek to make a living through pottery, but through his primal approach has earned a following which keeps his work in high demand. And if there is anything he is known for, it is without a doubt his legendary status among restaurants and Izakaya as the man to make your food presentation perfect. He was born in Aichi prefecture in 1954 and began his stroll down the pottery path in 1980 under the tutelage of Kyoto potter Umehara Takehira. Favoring very rough Shigaraki glaze, he established his own kiln in 1997 in the Kiyomizu pottery district of Kyoto, then moved to Nagaoka in 2002. Although eschewing the world of competitive exhibitions, he has been picked up by many of Japan’s preeminent galleries, including private exhibitions at the prestigious Kuroda Toen of Tokyo’s Ginza District.

Lug handles hang gently from the side of this blue-glazed Hagi vase by Richard Milgrim enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 9-1/2 inches (24.5 cm) tall, 4-1/2 inches (11 cm) diameter and in excellent condition.
Born in New York in 1955, Richard travelled to Japan in 1977 where he spent a year researching various ceramic traditions here. Returning to Japan in 79, he apprenticed under Iwabuchi Shigeya, and began studying the Way of Tea at Urasenke. His first private exhibition was held in 1981, and over the following years studied various traditions under Tahara Tobei (Hagi), Fujiwara Yu (Bizen) and Kato Koemon (Mino), establishing his own kiln in 1985. Since then his list of exhibitions is impressive, both domestic and abroad. For more see Tea Ceramics Artist, Richard Milgrim (2007) Works by this artist are held in the V&A London, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Minneapolis Institute of Art and many many others.

Beware, in this artists world the walls have ears and your sake cup is staring back at you. A striking work by Mizumoto Kayoko enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Kujira Guinomi. As if the unblinking green eye were not enough, a silver thorn bursts from the surface on one side (or is it a devils horn, or Vikings come to call?). Sure to inspire conversation during a round of sake, the playful cup is 5.5 cm tall and in excellent condition.
Mizumoto Kayoko was born in Ishikawa, home to the Kutani Ceramic Tradition, in 1971. She initially apprenticed in Yuzen Textile dying, where she worked for seven years, before teaching herself basic pottery techniques beginning in 1999. Having come to the traditiaonl Kutani world from outside, she was free to develop her own voice unfettered by traditional influences. In 2001 she entered a traditional kiln where she mastered the craft, and established her own kiln in 2010. Her work ahs been featured in prominent shows both in and out of Japan.

An unusual bit of Seto ware by important artist Kato Sho enclosed in the original signed wooden box. Enigmatic windows in the smooth black coating reveal icy-pale glaze and one streak of raw sandy earth baked red. The bowl is quite large, and very pleasing to hold, slightly tapered so as to concentrate the aroma rising from the freshly whipped tea. The piece is signed alongside the kodai Sho-saku. It is 4 inches (10 cm) tall, roughly 5 inches (13 cm) diameter and in perfect condition, dating circa 1970. Sho (1927-2001) was born into the house of a potter, and graduated the Tokyo University of Art before branching out on his own. He made his National Debut at the Nitten in 1961. He has been since displayed nationally and internationally in the United States, Mexico and New Zealand among others. He received the Nitten Hokuto Prize, and was honored as judge at that most prestigious event, the same at the Asahi Togei Ten (Awarded), Kofukai, and Nihon Shin Kogei Ten (National Japanese New Craft Exhibition). He was named an Intangible Cultural Property for Aichi prefecture (the state level version of Living National Treasure) in 2000, one year before his death.

Brilliant firing affects decorate this deep tapering cup of raw clay by Tsuji Seimei enclosed in the original signed wooden box. A classic work relying truly on Tsuchi-no-aji, or the taste of the clay. There is no attempt at overt decoration of sculpture, just a perfectly formed cup with a slightly wider base blasted in the furnace with black charring, thin rivulets of molten ash and lots of Hi-iro. It is 12.5 cm (5 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Tsuji Seimei (1927-2008) was born the son of an antique dealer in Tokyo in 1927. He was a childhood prodigy, and had acquired a reputation before leaving school, allowing him to meet many of the great artists of his day. In 1941 he established a studio with his sister. In 1955 he built his own studio in Tama City, choosing Shigaraki as his medium, he fired prodigiously. He married Tsuji Kyo, also a potter, and together they formed a team which helped define the blending of post-war traditional and non-functional ceramics.

A tall squared vase inlayed with the silhouette of trees against the evening sky by Saeki Moriyoshi enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Zogan Jumoku Moyo Kabin and dated 1991. This artists fascination with trees against the sky is inspiring. He has chosen to imbue his works with memories of the perfect sunset, with an autumn morning or late afternoon in winter. This piece is quite large, 18 inches (45.5 cm) tall and in excellent condition.
Saeki Moriyoshi was born into the household of sculptor Saeki Rusuo in Utsunomiya city in 1949 and attended the Musashino University of Art Design department before moving into the Tokyo University of Fine Art: Crafts Division. He was first exhibited and awarded at the 1974 Ibaraki Prefectural Art Festival, and his graduation project would receive the Salon de Plantain award the next year. As well he would be accepted in the 15th Traditional Crafts New Works Exhibition (Dento Kogei Shinsaku Ten) in 1975 where he would be consistently exhibited. He followed that up the next year with works accepted into the International Ceramics Exhibition and the 23rd National Traditional Crafts Exhibition (Nihon Dento Kogeiten, where he would be repeatedly exhibited). He continued at the University to advanced studies, and the University purchased his final project in 1977. After a stint as a potter in a professional kiln, he established his own kiln in Ibaraki prefecture in 1981. In 1983 one of his works were selected for the Kyo no Nihon Togei (Today in Japanese Pottery) exhibition which travelled to the Smithsonian and the V&A in London. From 1987-2001 he would be a guest professor at his alma-mater, the Tokyo University of Fine Art. As well from 1987 he would exhibit nearly every time at the Nihon Togeiten National Ceramics Exhibition. In ’89 he would be granted the Cultural Award from Ibaraki Prefecture. He would receive many prizes at various exhibitions over the years including the aforementioned as well as the Issuikai Ten exhibition, Mashiko Ceramics Exhibition, and Shinsaku Togeiten (New Ceramic Artworks) exhibition, and in 2002 the Imperial Household Agency would acquire one of his works. His works are held in the Shiga Prefectureal Togei No Mori Museum, Sano City Yoshizawa Museum, and Worcester Art Museum among others.

Today I would like to introduce another talented potter living outside of the traditional potting centers. This is a beautiful Nezumi Shino (Gray Shino) chawan by Sagae Eimei, and comes enclosed in the original signed wooden box. This has an immediacy which speaks of our era, yet is based firmly in the pottery of the Momoyama period. It is 12.5 cm (5 inches) diameter, 9.5 cm (3 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Sagae Eimei was born in Yamagata prefecture in 1949. Upon graduation from high school, he moved immediately to Gifu, where he studied Mino ware under Kato Kobei and future living National Treasure Kato Kozo. In 1970 he went to Africa for two years, before establishing his first kiln in the Hachioji district of rural Tokyo. In 1975 he moved to Shizuoka, and from there specialized in Shino ware for half a century, working to the revival of Momoyama era tea ware.

There is nothing superfluous in the work of Saito Hiroyuki, often described as “Muda no nai utsuwa” (Vessel without waste). Here is an exquisite tea bowl in muted silver and black with a texture which will make your hands want to dance. Like the creator, it is chic, with a simplicity of form which is timeless, and yet very much rooted in the world we live in today. The bowl is 8 cm (3 inches) tall and in excellent condition, directly from the artist.
Although I would love to offer a plethora of his work, we will have to wait until our next trip to Kyushu, as Hiroyuki is now concentrating, according to his own personal policy, on the very local populace, with whom he can develop a personal relationship, and know through direct feedback that his creations are rewarding to the end user.
Saito Hiroyuki was born in Kumamoto on the Southern Island of Kyushu in 1978. He came to ceramics after 30, having worked in industry and as a florist. In his late 20 he began to ask, what is a lifelong career? A stylish fellow, he was profoundly affected by the simplicity and style of German born Hans Coper. But it was not necessarily the connections to history and a specific tradition, but the ability to express one’s unique character through clay which drew him toward the potters fold. Around 30 he had a brush with death, and in the ICU decided should he survive, he would dedicate the remainder of his life to expressing himself in earth. Survive he did, and initially he was self-taught, eschewing the practice of apprenticeship while exploring his own new path. In 2013 he entered the Gen-gama under Furumori Gen, taking over the running of the kiln the following year. In 2018 he remodeled, setting up a group studio now shared by several artists working in various mediums.

A small Tsubo by Living Natioanl Treasure Tokuda Masahiko (Yasokichi III) enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 15.6cm (6 inches) diameter Roughly the same height and in excellent condition.
Tokuda Yasokichi III (Masahiko, 1933-2009) was born the first son of Tokuda Yasokichi II who had been adopted as a teenager into the Tokuda family. Masahiko graduated from the Kanazawa school of arts, and took up apprenticeship under his grandfather and father Yasokichi I & II. Well versed in orthodox Kutani design, he broke with tradition developing his own unique style titled Saiyu in the 1970s. By broadening his spectrum with this new style of Kutani ware he garnered considerable attention. In 1986, he was named a Bearer of Important Intangible Cultural Assets by Ishikawa Prefecture (local version of Living National Treasure) and a decade later was designated Living National Treasure in 1997 for his supremacy in the use of Kutani glazes. Yasokichi III, His works are held by the Polk Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art New York, The British Museum, the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Smithsonian, the Indianapolis Museum of Art and Kanazawa Contemporary Museum of Art among many others.

A small Tsubo by Living National Treasure Tokuda Masahiko (Yasokichi III) enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 13.2cm (5-1/4 inches) diameter 13.5cm tall and in excellent condition.
Tokuda Yasokichi III (Masahiko, 1933-2009) was born the first son of Tokuda Yasokichi II who had been adopted as a teenager into the Tokuda family. Masahiko graduated from the Kanazawa school of arts, and took up apprenticeship under his grandfather and father Yasokichi I & II. Well versed in orthodox Kutani design, he broke with tradition developing his own unique style titled Saiyu in the 1970s. By broadening his spectrum with this new style of Kutani ware he garnered considerable attention. In 1986, he was named a Bearer of Important Intangible Cultural Assets by Ishikawa Prefecture (local version of Living National Treasure) and a decade later was designated Living National Treasure in 1997 for his supremacy in the use of Kutani glazes. Yasokichi III, His works are held by the Polk Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art New York, The British Museum, the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Smithsonian, the Indianapolis Museum of Art and Kanazawa Contemporary Museum of Art among many others.

A fabulous textured faceted bottle shaped vase by Sakai Hiroshi enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Ai-ji Shino Ichirin Sashi (Blue Shino Single Flower Vase). It is 16.5 cm (6-1/2 inches) tall, 11.5 cm (5 inches) diameter and in excellent condition.
Sakai Hiroshi was born in Toki City in central Mino country in 1960. He graduated the Nagoya Institute of Technology in 1983, after which he spent two years at the Tajimi City Ceramic Research Facility before apprenticing under future Living National Treasure Kato Kozo. He has been exhibited or awarded at the National Traditional Crafts Exhibition (Nihon Dento Kogeiten), National Ceramic Art Exhibition (Nihon Togeiten), Asahi Ceramic Exhibition, as well as being exhibited internationally in Taiwan, Korea, and Italy among others. Work by the artist is held in the Italian Faenze Ceramic Museum, The Gifu Prefectural Museum of Modern Ceramic Art and Mino Ceramic Art Museum, both inTajimi as well as the Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum among others.

Ripples cover the archaic surface of this flattened vessel by Sakata Jinnai enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Hakudeisai Hajomon Henko (White Clay Wave Patterned Henko) It is 11 x 23 x 32 cm (4 x 9 x 13 inches) and is in excellent condition.
Sakata Jinnai was born in Tokyo in 1943, and began as an apprentice under the legendary Kamoda Shoji in 1964, establishing his first kiln in 1966. His work was selected for display at the Nihon Dento Kogei Shinsaku Ten (National Traditional New Crafts Exhibition) in 1969, and the following year the Nihon Dento Kogei Ten (National Traditional Crafts Exhibition). In 1971 his work could be seen at the first Nihon Togeiten National Ceramics Exhibition. This event would tour the United States and Canada as well. Two years later he would be seen there again, and this time the show would tour South America. In 1977 he would move away from the competitive world of mass exhibitions and focus more on private galleries. He was the first artist selected for display at the newly opened Takashimaya Gallery in New York in 1993. Work by him is held in the collection of the British Museum, Rockefeller Foundation, Sakuma Museum, Waseda Universty Museum, as well as some of Japans holiest sites such as Ise Shrine, Izumo Shrine, Takachiho Shrine, Yakushiji in Nara and both Kodaiji and Enryakuji Temples in Kyoto. Not limited to clay, he also works in painting, Washi hand made paper (from 1995), and glass (from 2000).

A Guinomi and Tokkuri by Murakoshi Takuma enclosed in their respective original signed wooden boxes complete with Shiori and Shifuku. The deep well shaped cup rises vertically from the flat base, a dollop of hand crushed foamy feldspar glaze (this one he makes himself) clinging to the rim. The bottle is tall with a smattering of the same yellow green ash on one side, the opposite marked with distinct red hi-iro flame color. The Tokkuri is 16.5 cm (6-1/2 inches) tall, the cup 7.5 cm (3 inches) diameter and both are in new condition.
Murakoshi Takuma is one of those enigmas who simply lives to work with clay. He does not seek to make a living through pottery, but through his primal approach has earned a following which keeps his work in high demand. He was born in Aichi prefecture in 1954 and began his stroll down the pottery path in 1980 under the tutelage of Kyoto potter Umehara Takehira. Favoring very rough Shigaraki glaze, he established his own kiln in 1997 in the Kiyomizu pottery district of Kyoto, then moved to Nagaoka in 2002. Although eschewing the world of competitive exhibitions, he has been picked up by many of Japan’s preeminent galleries, including private exhibitions at the prestigious Kuroda Toen of Tokyo’s Ginza District.

A vase with a carved-comb surface of white clay by Sakiyama Takayuki enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled dating circa 1998. It is 9 x 7 x 15 cm (3-1/2 x 3 x 6 inches) and is in excellent condition.
Sakiyama Takayuki (b. 1958) graduated the Osaka Art University in 1981. In 1984 he exhibited for the first time at the Nitten National Exhibition. He established his kiln in Shizuoka in 1987, and was accepted into and prized at the National Ceramics Exhibition (Nihon Togeiten) for the first time in 1991 as well as being prized at the Nihon Gendai Kogeiten (modern crafts exhibition). In 2005 he received Grand Prize at the Nihon Togeiten. Work by the artist is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum New York, Brooklyn Museum, Minneapolis, Boston, Philadelphia, New Orleans, LACMA, Musée national de Céramique- Sèvres, France, National Museum of Scotland as well as the Museum of Ceramic Art in Hyogo and the Sano Museum among many others.

Mottled blue in thick textured drips run down the sides over ashen glaze on this 4 eared Tsubo by Sakuchi Ensen enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The thickness of the drips adds a tactile sense to this piece, compelling the hands to reach out and touch. It is 11-1/2 inches (29.5 cm) tall 9 inches (23 cm) diameter and in fine condition. The box lid is stained.
Sakuchi Ensen (B. 1922) began on the path of the potter in 1946, searching to create something unusual in the hils of Okayama. His research led him to create this highly decorative yet wildly natural glaze he came to call Hishhoku Nanban Yaki.

A radical Tea bowl by Sakuchi Ensen enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Hisshoku Nanban Chawan. This has everything, texture, color, size. Inside circles of flame burn white in the charred dark earth, while the outside is charred black with smatterings of red, blue and green. It is 13 cm (5-1/4 inches) diameter, 9 cm (3-1/4 inches) tall and in excellent condition. It comes complete with the original wrapping cloth and artists profile (shifuku and shiori).
Sakuchi Ensen (B. 1922) began on the path of the potter in 1946, searching to create something unusual in the hills of Okayama. His research led him to create this highly decorative yet wildly natural glaze he came to call Hishhoku Nanban Yaki.

Red and Blue Rivulets drip down over green melding into the ashen gray textured glaze on this Tea Jar by Sakuchi Ensen enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 25.5 cm (10 inches) diameter, 28.5 cm (11-1/4 inches) tall and in excellent condition. The box top is lightly stained.
Sakuchi Ensen (B. 1922) began on the path of the potter in 1946, searching to create something unusual in the hills of Okayama. His research led him to create this highly decorative yet wildly natural glaze he came to call Hishhoku Nanban Yaki.

Red Rivulets meld into the ashen gray textured glaze on this Tokkuri sake flask by Sakuchi Ensen wrapped in the original signed and stamped cloth enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 13 cm (5 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Sakuchi Ensen (B. 1922) began on the path of the potter in 1946, searching to create something unusual in the hills of Okayama. His research led him to create this highly decorative yet wildly natural glaze he came to call Hishhoku Nanban Yaki.

A white porcelain vessel by Sakurai Yasuko permeated with holes in a style typical of her work. It is 16 cm diameter, 8 cm tall and in excellent condition enclosed in a paper box. According to the Met: Sakurai Yasuko first studied ceramics in Kyoto, before becoming an artist in residence in Shigaraki, and then in Limoges, France. She makes perforated, unglazed, white porcelain forms that are studies in light and shadow. These forms are created around bundles of mold-cast porcelain tubes and then connected by clay and slip.
The artist is known for her challenge of light and dark, and this sculpture with its play through holes is a quintessential example of this, the light and dark accenting each other through the patterns cut into the body. Her work is held in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art New York, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the Shiga Prefectural Togei no Mori Museum, the International Ceramics Museum in Florence, the Paramita Museum, among many others. For more see Touch Fire, Contemporary Japanese Ceramics by Women Artists, 2009.

Red highlights the salt glazed body of this multifaceted tsubo by Seto Hiroshi enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Enseki-yu Tamentori Tsubo. Like stepping stones stomach scales of a snake climb in concentric arcs about the body of the base, the white covering most with red highlighting the edges. It is 8 inches (20 cm) tall, roughly the same diameter and in excellent condition.
Seto Hiroshi (1941-1994) studied pottery under Living National Treasures Tomimoto Kenkichi and Kondo Yuzo in Kyoto before establishing himself in Mashiko, where he served to bring tradition into the modern age with his unique look at form and glaze. He was exhibited and awarded widely including the Nihon Togei-Ten National Ceramic Exhibition and is held in any number of important Domestic and International collections.

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.

A voluminous Chawan Tea bowl by Sawada Hayato enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Kakusai Chawan. The hand built angular form is slip glazed with black clay inlayed creating paleolithic pattens tinged with red. It is roughly 15 cm (6 inches) wide, 9.5 cm (just under 4 inches) tall and in new condition. Sawada Hayato was born in Kasama City, Ibaraki Prefecture in 1978, and graduated Ryutsu Keizai University in 2000, going on to further study at the Tokyo University of Social Welfare from which he graduated in 2004. The following year he was selected for the 52nd Japan Traditional Craft Exhibition where he would be awarded in 2012 the Japan Kōgei Association Award. In 2013 he was awarded at the Kikuchi Biennale. Since his work has been shown in Shanghai, Europe, London and the United States. His work is held in the colletions of the Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum, Crocker Art Museum, and Cincinnati Art Museum.

A large Tsubo with ruptured rim burnt to a mellow orange with a dusting of natural ash glaze on the shoulder by important Shigaraki artist Sawa Kiyotsugu enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Shigaraki Tsuboi. Comb marks sweep the surface like rake marks in a Zen garden, a meandering trail scored into the side like a mountain path. Slightly misshapen, it is roughly 30 x 31 x 33 cm (12-1/4 x 12 x 13 inches) and is in excellent condition.
Sawa Kiyotsugu (b. 1948), originally of Shigaraki, spent two years at the Kyoto Ceramics Research institute before a five year apprenticeship under Takahashi Shunsai back in his hometown of Shigaraki. He has been a staunch supporter of the modern revival and development of Shigaraki yaki, his works sold through a network of private exhibitions. Work by him is held in the British museum

Coral like texture seems to have settled on the shoulders of this sculpted Bizen vessel by artist Wakimoto Hiroyuki enclosed in the Original signed wooden box. The form is very natural, all curves and no glaze (it would make a great motto). Wakimoto is strongly influenced by the natural world and the shapes of ancient civilizations. From his native Japan to ancient China and Native American cultures, he assimilates and produces, all bending to his tools and wedges. This piece is roughly 8 inches (20 cm) across, 6-1/2 inches (16.5 cm) tall and, of course, in perfect condition. Another outsider in the Bizen world, Hiroyuki followed in the footsteps of friend Kakurezaki Ryuichi, both originally of Nagasaki. He graduated the Osaka University of Art Textile design in 1975, but gave up that line, Settling in Bizen for a long apprenticeship under Yamashita Joji in 1981. He established his own kiln in 1990, and was immediately prized at the Issui Kai Exhibition that year. The following year he was widely accepted, and ahs since displayed at the Chanoyu Zokei Ten (Sculptural Tea Forms) at the Tanabe Museum, The Nihon Dento Kogei Ten (Japanese Traditional Crafts Exhibirtion), Nihon Togei Ten (Japanese National Ceramics Exhibition), Asahi Togei Ten, among many others, both domestic and abroad.

A polished mixed-media sculpture by Sugano Chii enclosed in a wooden box titled Kaetekita Akerakan (Akerakan Returned) featured in the book Sugano Chii (published 1997). It is 21 x 17 x 21 cm (8-1/4 x 7 x 8-1/4 inches) and is in excellent condition.
Sugano Chii was born in Saga Prefecture in 1909, on the Southern Island of Kyushu, and graduated the prefectural Saga Prefectural Ogi Girls School in 1927 before being accepted in the Tokyo Women’s Art School (Mod. Womens Art University) Western Painting Department in 1931. The following year she began working for The Shochiku Movie Studios where she would remain throughout the war years. In 1944 she took a position as art director at the Sansui Schools (mod. Toho Gakuen). In 1949 her work was accepted into the Sculpture Division of the Nika-ten and would first be awarded there in 1955. In 1957 she would be one of 13 people chosen for the Bijutsu Hihyo Art Publication. That same year she held an exhibition in cohorts with photographer Takuya Tsukahara at the swank Ginza: Ichibankan Gallery. In 1969 she becomes a permanent member o the Nikakai. In 1986 "Acceptance III" exhibited at the Spring Nikakai Exhibition is permanently displayed at the National Productivity Bureau NPB Building in Singapore. In 1991 she began production of the “Love and Melancholy” series in the wake of the Gulf War. In 1994 she was awarded for the work “Memories of the Earth” exhibited at the Spring Nikakai.

A blue tailed lizard, symbol of summer, crawls up the gnarled root, tiny ants, a tempting snack just above. This is a piece from the Shiun studio designed by Okada Yuji, the decoration performed in built up Iro-urushi colored lacquer. It is 45 cm (18 inches) long and in excellent condition, enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Seasonal Visitors.
Okada Yuji was born in Kyoto in 1948 and graduated with honors from the Kyoto Hiyoshi-ga-oka High School Lacquer Course, Receiving top prize for his graduation project. In 1969 he apprenticed under Ito Hiroshi, and the following year was accepted into the Kyoten (Kyoto Prefectural Art Exhibition) as well as the Kyoto Kogei Bijutsu Sakka Kyokai exhibition (Kyoto Kogei Association of artists) where he would be awarded. This begins his solo career. In 1972 he establishes himself as an independent artist, and his work is accepted into the Nitten National Exhibition. In 1973 he is accepted into the Nihon Gendai Kogeiten (Modern Crafts Exhibition). He would subsequently exhibit regularly with the above mentioned Nitten, Nihon Gendai Kogeiten, Kyoten, Kyoto Kogei Bijutsu Sakka Kyokai and later at the Urushi no Bi-ten (Nihon Shikko Kyokai Japanese Lacquer Association) exhibitions as well as solo and group shows, receiving many awards over the years. Later serving as a judge at several of these events. Throughout the 70s and early 80s he would receive numerous awards. In 1985 he took a professorship at the Dohda Art School. 1996 he enters a new phase, having become well known for restoration of lacquer arts, he begins to actively promote restoration work in addition to creating his own artwork. He would go on to restore over 3500 works of lacquer art before 2022. In 1999 he exhibits three Dry-Lacquer works at the New York Art Festival. This is a turning point in his career, when he begins debuting his latest works overseas in Germany, England and America. He retires from the Kyoto City Dohda Art School in 2003 and establishes a lacquer research center in the Ninenzaka area of Eastern Kyoto. In 2006 he opens the Lacquer Studio Shiun to pass on skills to a younger generation and becomes a member of the International Council of Museums Committee for Conservation. Post 2008 he concentrated on sharing his knowledge and technique with students and on the promotion of lacquer art through symposiums and events around the globe while at the same time continued to research into the techniques and restoration of lacquer artworks. Work by the artist is held in the collections of: the Minneapolis Institute of Art, Denver Art Museum, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Metropolitan Museum of Fine Arts New York, New Orleans Museum of Fine Arts, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Kiyomizu Sannenzaka Museum and Shanghai Art Museum among many others.

A large Mimitsuki Vase covered in deeply fissured celadon glaze by Suzuki Sansei (b. 1936) enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The translucent glaze is like that of an agate, shattered with heat, the crackling wide in the thick pale bluish green fog. The vase is 11 inches (28 cm) tall, 5-1/2 inches (13.5 cm) diameter and in perfect condition.
Mitsunari began with a six year apprenticeship under Kawamura Seizan and has received innumerable awards over his 40 year career. He has been displayed at most national juried exhibitions including The Nihon Dento Kogeiten (Traditional Crafts Exhibition) from 1968, The Kogei Shinsaku Ten (New Crafts Exhibition) since 1969, and Nihon Togei Ten (Japanese Ceramic Exhibition) where he received the Exhibition prize in 1981. His works have been purchased as gifts for foreign dignitaries by the Gaimusho. This piece dates circa 1995.

Dramatic waves are combed into the clay surface of this large Toban Platter by Living National Treasure Suzuki Osamu (Kura) covered in glass-like copper green; unusually signed and dated on bottom 1957 and enclosed in an artist signed wooden box. This has the wow factor in truckloads! A quintessential piece by this influential artist showing not only the innovation early in his career, but the consistency with which he approached Mino pottery, Museum quality, sure to become a centerpiece of any collection. It is 53.5 x 31 cm (21 x 12 inches) and in excellent condition.
Suzuki Osamu was born in Gifu prefecture in 1934, and graduated the Tajimi Technical School ceramics division in 1953. That same year he was awarded at the 6th Dento Kogeiten Traditional Crafts Exhibition. One of the great researchers, he spent many years excavating old kiln sites in an effort to re-invent Mino ware. In 1962 he was exhibited in Prague. And the next year took a prize at the Asahi Ceramic Exhibition. Very much lauded at this time, it culminated in 1969 when he received the JCS Gold award (Japan Ceramic Society), one of the highest honors for a Japanese potter. He would receive the JCS award again in 1982, and by that point be nurturing or inspiring a number of young potters aspiring to the forgotten ways of Shino ware. He was named a Living National Treasure in 1994 for his life-work. Work by him is held in a multitude of public collections throughout the world. For more see “Japanese Studio Crafts, Tradition and the Avant-Garde” (1995) by R. Faulkner.

A set of five richly colored elongated plates by Shigemori Yoko enclosed in a signed wooden box titled simply Nagazara. Each uniquely decorated dish is bursting with joy, what a pleasure to wake up to breakfast served on one of these. Each is roughly 32.5 x 10.5 cm (13 x 4 inches) and all are in excellent condition. The box is annotated by her nephew.
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 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. She was one of five artists featured in Toh, volume 76, The first issue dedicated to Kyoto Potters. Toh was at the time the most in depth survey of important contemporary potters published in 1993. Her work is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

Five porcelain tea cups by Kato Tsubusa enclosed in the original compartmentalized and signed wooden box titled Seihakuji Senchawan outside, and inside Seihakuji Chawan. Each is a unique shape, and they are roughly 9.5 cm (4 inches) diameter, 7 to 8 cm (3 to 3-1/2 inches) tall and all are in excellent condition. Someone has written in red on the box lid
Tsubusa was born in the home of Shino, Tajimi city. However after working some in pottery, he moved on to this white porcelain, a leap form which he has never looked back. He has been displayed at the Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art, The Chunichi Kokusai Togei Ten (Chunichi International Ceramics Exhibition) and The Asahi Togei Ten as well as a private exhibition in New york among many others.

A set of five square plates; each uniquely decorated with abstract floral motifs in blue by Shigemori Yoko enclosed in a compartmentalized wooden box titled kakuzara. Each is roughly 23 cm (9 inches) square and in excellent condition, the box annotated by her brother.
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 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. She was one of five artists featured in Toh, volume 76, The first issue dedicated to Kyoto Potters. Toh was at the time the most in depth survey of important contemporary potters published in 1993. Her work is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

A set of five deep plates by Living National Treasure Kondo Yuzo decorated with pomegranates in blue on snow white porcelain. The are 20.5 cm (8 inches) diameter and in excellent condition, each signed on back. They come in a custom made contemporary box. Kondo Yuzo (1902-1985) was born in the Gojozaka district of Kyoto and studied alongside Kawai Kanjiro and Hamada Shoji at the Kyoto Ceramics Research facility, where he studied kiln technique directly under Shoji. He then apprenticed under recently returned Tomimoto Kenkichi for three years before establishing himself as a unique artist in the Kiyomizu district of Kyoto in 1924. He served as a professor at the Kyoto University of Art where he helped shape generations of potters. After an illustrious career he was named a Living National Treasure for Sometsuke Porcelain in 1977. Works by the artist are held in the collection of the LACMA, Cleveland and Brooklyn Museums of Art, Kyoto Municipal and Tokyo National Museums of Modern Art among many others.