265. MURAKOSHI Takuma, 1954- , guinomi

265. MURAKOSHI Takuma  村越琢磨, 1954- , Sake-nomi  酒呑 (sake cup)

For Murakoshi, see item no. 234. 

Light gray clay from Shigaraki. A few splashes of dark brown glaze on the exterior and interior; otherwise fired unglazed, with kiln effects: hi-iro in coral colors; natural ash glazing in white spots and green glass-like bidoro deposits. Weight:  156 g (5.6 oz). Height: 5.4 cm (2-1/8 in). Widths: rim, 9.2 x 7.9 cm (3-5/8 x 3-1/8 in); base, 3.7 x 3.4 cm (1-1/2 x 1-3/8 in). Capacity: 82 ml (3.7 fl oz). 

This is similar in shape to item no. 234, but slightly smaller. Like item no. 235, it was hand-built using overlapping flat ribbons of clay. Any given cross-section is an oval, although there are many bimps and dents. It sits on a flat base, an irregular oval. The interior of the base is indented, perhaps by the tip of the artist’s thumb (mine fits comfortably in the dent). The walls flare outward from the base to the rim, with many ridges where the edges of the ribbons were joined. On one side of the piece is the artist’s sigil (see item no. 235 for a description), a long curved line with a short bar at the top and two lines off to the right side at the lower end of the long line. The shape of the interior mirrors that of the exterior, but the joins between the ribbons of clay are smoother and less pronounced. Given the rough modeling of the piece, the surface is quite smooth. 

Except for a few splashes of a dark brown glaze on the interior and exterior walls, this was fired unglazed. The exterior and the upper parts of the interior are dotted with white beads, the results of natural ash glazing. The interior has several patches of green glass-like bidoro drips. The portions of the walls not covered with brown glaze or affected by the natural ash glazing show hi-iro colors in the coral range. The natural clay color shows through only on the flat, oval base. 

This came in a wooden box inscribed by the artist in two lines: 酒呑 / たくま sake-nomi / takuma (sake cup / Takuma), followed by a seal bearing the characters for his given name stamped in red. As is his wont, Murakoshi began the inscription on the top of the box (actually on the back edge of the lid) and continued down the front of the box. Included in the box are a small printed leaflet (in Japanese and English) and a brown wrapping cloth. 

Purchased from the Kura Monzen Gallery in Kyoto in October 2024, who received it directly from the potter in summer 2024. This was part of an exhibit entitled Shōka 昇華  (“sublime”), or Modern Masters in English, a show of fifteen currently active potters (invoice and shipping and customs documents).

 

264. ŌMAE Satoru, 1972- , Devils’ Island sake cup in the Korean style)

264. ŌMAE Satoru 大前悟, 1972-  , Onigashima gosho-maru hai  鬼ヶ島御所丸盃  (Devils’ Island sake cup in the Korean style)

Ōmae was born in Osaka in 1972. He began decorating Kenzan-style pottery in Kobe in 1991 with his brother. In 1994 he began making Nanban-style unglazed pottery. His first solo exhibition was held in Osaka in 1999, and he moved to Shigaraki in 2001, where he began working on Iga- and Shigaraki-style wood-fired pottery and at the same time began holding solo exhibitions nationwide. He built a fully underground anagama kiln in 2003. In 2005, he became interested in glazed pottery and began creating white porcelain and Karatsu ware. In 2007, he was attracted to Korean pottery from the Joseon Dynasty and started experimenting with Ido tea bowls and persimmon calyx tea bowls using anagama kiln firing techniques. After absorbing many styles, he reached a turning point in 2010, when he moved to Awaji Island and built a semi-underground anagama kiln and a raku kiln. He started making black raku ware. In 2016, he began using clay from Awaji Island to make white raku ware. 

Light tan clay. Glazed in cream and a dark, almost black, brown; the foot ring and surrounding area of the base left unglazed. Weight: 74 g (2.6 oz). Height 3.8 cm (1-1/2 in). Widths: rim, 5.8 x 5 cm (2-1/4 x 2 in); widest, 6.3 x 6 cm (2-1/2 x 2-3/8 in). 

This mimics the shape of many straight-sided teabowls. It sits on a six-sided foot ring, about 2 mm (1/16 in) high and 3.2 x 2.8 cm (1-1/4 x 1-1/8 in) wide. Two small, transparent paper labels are affixed to the foot ring; with the numbers “40” and “40-5” written in black ink. The bottom extends outward and upward at a slight angle to the maximum width, 1.2 cm (1/2 in) above the base. The walls then rise vertically to the rim. There are two horizontal grooves running around the bowl, the first just below the midpoint and the other just under the rim. The walls bulge outward slightly above and below these grooves.The shape of the interior mirrors that of the exterior. The surface is smooth on the glazed portions. The unglazed portions feel like fine-grained sandpaper. 

This was glazed in a slightly smoky cream and a dark brown. The brown shades into tan where the glaze is thin and into black where it is thicker. This combination of colors is apparently what qualifies the piece as “Korean.” 

This came in a wooden box inscribed on the side by the artist in three lines: 鬼ヶ島 / 御所丸盃 / 悟 Onigashima / gosho-maru hai / Satoru (Devils’ Island / Gosho-maru cup / Satoru). Onigashima is the name of a mythical island. “Gosho-maru” was a name given to ships used in the trade with Korea. The artist’s name is followed by his seal stamped in black (as are other of his boxes). Included in the box were a short printed biography and a brown wrapping cloth, also stamped in black with the artist’s seal. 

Purchased from the Kura Monzen Gallery in Kyoto in October 2024, who received it directly from the potter in summer 2024. This was part of an exhibit entitled Shōka 昇華  (“sublime”), or Modern Masters in English, a show of fifteen currently active potters (invoice and shipping and customs documents).

 

263. FUJIMOTO Hide 1954- , Shigaraki-ware pillar vase

263.  FUJIMOTO Hide  藤本秀,  1954- , Shigaraki tagui-enchū  信楽 類円柱  (Shigaraki-ware pillar [vase])

For Fujimoto, see item no. 250.  Fujimoto often finds inspiration in building materials (see also no. 250). Here the piece is shaped after a central pillar with notched holes near the top for holding the ends of a series of radiating support beams. 

Light gray Shigaraki clay, fired unglazed, with kiln effects, including hi-iro in red colors, natural ash glazing, with vitrification and bidoro, light gray with a greenish tint; ash deposits in dark gray to black. Weight: 3.5 kg (7-3/4 lb). Height: 24 cm (9-7/8 in). Diameter: 15.3 cm (6 in). 

This sits on a flat base, about 2 cm (3/4 in) thick. The remnants of the three posts used to separate the piece from the kiln shelf during firing are visible on the base. In shape this is a cylinder, roughly the same diameter throughout. There is an upward sloping ridge on the back side beginning at the base and extending upwards for about half the height. There are six windows near the top, each around 4.5 cm (1-3/4 in) square. The top and bottom sides of each square are level; the right and left sides angle inward. The lower edge of each square begins 17.8 cm (7 in) above the base. Within these windows, the flat surface moves inward toward a vertical, circular central wall 3.2 cm (1-1/4 in) high and 5.8 cm (2-1/4 in) in diameter. The top is a flat disk 1.5 cm (5/8 in) thick, with a central hole 5.8 cm (2-1/4 in) wide. There is a space of approximately 0.6 cm (1/4 in) between the inner central wall and the flat disk at the top, leaving the area within the windows open. The shape of the interior mirrors that of the exterior. The surface of this is quite rough. 

This was fired unglazed. The top and one side (arbitrarily designated the front) have a thick layer of vitrified natural ash glazing, with many small patches of green, glass-like bidoro deposits, light gray in color with a strong greenish tint. The upper part of the back side, to just below the square openings has a similar coating of natural ash glazing. Below this is a heavy layer of ash deposits, colored dark gray to black. The base has areas of vitrification across most of the surface, with a patch of hi-iro colors in light red. The original clay shows through in the areas of the base where the wads were placed during firing. The interior is hard to see but appears to have a good coating of natural ash glazing on the bottom and along the lower sides. 

This came in a wooden box inscribed by the artist in three lines: 信楽 / 類円柱 /  藤本秀  Shigaraki / tagui-enchū  / Fujimoto Hide (Shigaraki[-ware vase] resembling a pillar), followed by the artist’s seal stamped in red. 

Purchased from the Kura Monzen Gallery in Kyoto in October 2024, who received it directly from the potter in summer 2024. This was part of an exhibit entitled Shōka 昇華  (“sublime”), or Modern Masters in English, a show of fifteen currently active potters (invoice and shipping and customs documents).

 

262. FUJIMOTO Hide , 1954- , Shigaraki-ware collapsed pot

262.   FUJIMOTO Hide  藤本 秀,  1954- , Shigaraki kuzureta tsubo 信楽崩壺  (Shigaraki-ware collapsed pot)

For Fujimoto, see item no. 250. 

Light gray clay, with addition of many small white pebbles (quartz or feldspar). This was fired unglazed. The surface decoration results from kiln effects—ash deposits, natural ash glazing, hi-iro (fire colors), and vitrification, with patches and drops of bidoro green glass-like glazing. Weight: 2.2 kg (4.9 lb). Height: 13.8 cm (5-1/2 in). Widths: rim, 12 cm (4-3/4 in); widest, 22.5 cm (8-3/4 in); base, 14.8 cm (5-7/8 in). 

This sits on a flat base. The remnants of the five posts used to separate the piece from the kiln shelf during firing are visible on the base. The base is scored with many striations and much pitted. From the base the walls rise in a convex arc to the widest point, 7.6 cm (3 in) above the base. The piece collapsed above this point, more on one side (arbitrarily the front side), causing the mouth to sag downward on this side. The back side didn’t sag as much. It appears that this was to be a wide, relatively low jug. On the back side, there is an irregular hole surround by the remnants of a circular structure. To one side of this is another remnant, which appears to be a broken off protrusion of some sort. These may perhaps be remnants of a spout or a handle of some sort.  The mouth is wide and surrounded by a beveled rim. The surface of the pot is rough and broken. In one place on the back part, the surface fell off after firing, leaving the clay body exposed. 

This was fired unglazed. The back side has a dark gray ash deposit between the two remnants mention in the preceding paragraph. The upper part of the pot is covered with natural ash glazing, vitrified in places and with some bidoro green glass-like patches and a few tambo no me (green glass-like teardrops) running down the side. The lower half exhibits hi-iro in colors ranging from light red to mahogany. There are patches of vitrified cream-colored natural ash glazing on the base near the outside edge; most of the base has hi-iro colors in light red. 

This came in a wooden box, inscribed by the artist in three lines: 信楽 / 崩壺 / 藤本 秀  Shigaraki  / kuzureta tsubo / Fujimoto Hide (Shigaraki[-ware] / collapsed jug / Fujimoto Hide), with the artist’s seal stamped in red. Included in the box were a business card (meishi) and a short printed biography. 

The seller told me that the pot collapsed during firing and that Fujimoto viewed it as work of art resulting from a collaboration between nature and ceramics. The result is appealing and intriguing, and it’s understandable that Fujimoto would preserve this rather than toss it on the scrap heap. Sometimes the unexpected happens when pots are fired, and the accidents can be serendipitous. 

Purchased from the Kura Monzen Gallery in Kyoto in September 2024, who received it directly from the potter in summer 2024. This was part of an exhibit entitled Shōka 昇華  (“sublime”), or Modern Masters in English, a show of fifteen currently active potters (invoice and shipping and customs documents).

 

261. FUJIMOTO Hide, 1954- , Shigaraki-ware “crouching” vase

 261. FUJIMOTO Hide  藤本 秀,  1954- , Shigaraki uzukumaru [tsubo] 信楽蹲[壺]  (Shigaraki-ware “crouching” vase)

For Fujimoto, see item no. 250. 

The designation of this as a tsubo follows the usage for similar uzukumaru pots. For another example, see item no. 218, 

To judge from other examples of uzukumaru pots online, the term is reserved for a style of pots made in Shigaraki. They are roughly circular in cross-section. From a broad, flat base, the walls rise outwards in a more or less straight line to the widest diameter at the high shoulders. From there, the walls curve inward rapidly to a small, short vertical neck surmounted by jutting horizontal lips with beveled edges. 

Light gray clay. Fired unglazed, with heavy kiln effects--ash deposits in deep black, hi-iro (fire colors) in light red, melted ash glaze in a creamy brown, with some vitrification and bidoro green glass-like deposits and drips. Weight: 1.9 kg (4.3 lb). Height: 19 cm (7-1/2 in). Widths: rim, 8.2 cm (3-1/4 in); widest, 16.4 cm (6-1/2 in); base, 12 cm (4-3/4 in). 

This sits on the flat circular base. The remnants of the four posts used to separate the piece from the kiln shelf during firing are visible on the base. The body is roughly circular but with many shallow dents and bulges. The widest point occurs at the shoulders, 11.3 cm (4-1/2 in) above the base. The walls then curve inward to the neck, which is 16 cm (6-3/8 in) above the base and 5.7 cm (2-1/4 in) in diameter. The lip juts outward above the neck, Both the lower and the upper surfaces are beveled. Two lines scratched into the clay undulate around the vase, one positioned slightly below the shoulders and one above. The lines range from 2.5 to 5 cm (1-2 in) apart. A series of X’s was inscribed within these lines. Some of the lines in the X’s rise above the upper line. The interior of the piece mirrors the exterior. The surface is rough and crusted. 

This was fired unglazed. One side (arbitrarily the back side) was covered with a heavy layer of ash, leaving a dark matte black surface, much pitted and very irregular. This layer is so thick that it largely obscures the undulating lines and X’s in this area. The portions of the exterior walls beside the neck on this side show some reddish-brown hi-iro. The front side, particularly the upper portions, were covered with a natural ash glazing, which ran down the front side to the base, leaving some portions uncovered and again showing hi-iro colors. The neck, rim, and mouth of the piece are also covered with natural ash glazing in the creamy brown color. Some areas of the natural ash glazing shows vitrification. Unusually the base is also encrusted with ash deposits and has one tambo no me bead of green glass-like melted ash glazing. This must have been fired near the front of the kiln and received a full blast of ash deposits and heat. 

This came in a wooden box inscribed by Fujimoto in three lines: 信楽 / 蹲 /藤本 秀 Shigaraki / uzukumaru / Fujimoto Hide (Shigaraki / crouching / Fujimoto Hide), followed by the artist’s seal stamped in red. Included in the box was a short printed biography of the artist. 

I found a picture of a Muromachi-period Shigaraki "crouching" tsubo that has a similar decorative scheme of two lines running around the shoulders with a pattern of X's inscribed between them. The decoration on that piece is more regular, however, and the kiln effects are much more limited (chiefly hi-iro with some golden fly ash). See Samuel J. Lurie and Beatrice L. Chang, Fired With Passion: Contemporary Japanese Ceramics (2006), p. 110, fig. 82. 

Purchased from the Kura Monzen Gallery in Kyoto in September 2024, who received it directly from the potter in summer 2024. This was part of an exhibit entitled Shōka 昇華  (“sublime”), or Modern Masters in English, a show of fifteen currently active potters (invoice and shipping and customs documents).

 

260. ŌIWA Tomoyuki, 1977- . black [Bizen-ware] sake-warming flask

260.  ŌIWA Tomoyuki 大岩智之. 1977- . Kuro tokkuri  黒徳利   (black [Bizen-ware] sake-warming flask)

 

For Ōiwa, see item no. 259. 

Dark gray clay. Fired unglazed, with natural ash glazing resulting in shiny black and matte black and dun colors. Weight: 426g (15 oz). Height: 13.8 cm (5-1/2 in).  Widths: rim, 3.5 cm (1-3/8 in); widest, 8.8 cm (3-1/2 in); base, 6 cm (2-3/8 in). 

This is shaped like a bottle gourd (瓢箪 hyōtan). It appears to have been molded on a wheel and then subsequently carved to form the belt, shoulders, neck, and rim. The main part of the body was then flattened slightly, leaving the piece longer from side to side. The maximum distance front to back is 8.2 cm, or about a quarter inch less the side-to-side dimension. 

The piece sits on the rim of the circular base, which was hollowed out in a shallow concavity. The remains of the three posts used to separate the piece from the kiln shelf during firing are visible on the bottom. The artist’s mark, a vertical line with a crossbar and a dot at the top right corner, is incised into the center of the base. The belt or waist begins about 5 cm (2 in) above the base and is one centimeter (3/8 in) wide. It consists of two horizontal grooves encircling the piece; the area between the two grooves was flattened with a carving tool. The lower bulge is a convex curve about 5 cm (2 in) in height, with the maximum width of 8.8 cm occurring 3.3 cm (1-1/4 in) above the base. The upper bulge is again a convex curve, with the maximum width of 7.5 cm (3 in) occurring 7 cm (2-3/4 in) above the base. Thus the widest area of both bulges is nearer the waist than the base or shoulders, respectively, of the piece. The shoulders begin 10.2 cm (4-1/8 in) above the base. The shoulder area is level, sloping slightly upwards toward the neck. At the neck’s lowest point, it is 2.5 cm (1 in) wide. The neck widens gradually up to the rim, which juts outward at a 90-degree angle and then slants slightly outward to the upper edge. The inside of the rim curves downward to the recessed mouth. It is impossible to see inside the piece. The surface of the exterior ranges from smooth over the heavily vitrified areas to a medium sandpaper grade on the relatively unglazed areas. 

This was fired unglazed. Some two-thirds of the exterior surface is covered with a vitrified ash glaze, with a dark black color. The base and some lower edges of the walls are a matte black color. Those portions of the exterior walls not covered with the vitrified ash glazing are a matte dun color.

 This came in a wooden box inscribed by Ōiwa in three lines: 黒 / 徳利 / sigil  kuro / tokkuri / sigil (black sake warmer-pourer / sigil), followed by the artist's seal stamped in red. See item no. 259 on the sigil. Included in the box were a gray wrapping cloth and a small card with a potted biography of the artist.  

This was sold as a unit with item no. 259, but the two pieces were not conceived as a set.  An online search found other similarly shaped tokkuri by Ōiwa. 

The irregularity of the main part of the body contrasts with the symmetry and precision of the pouring spout. The difference sets up a dialogue between the two parts. 

Purchased from the Kura Monzen Gallery in Kyoto in September 2024, who purchased it directly from the potter in June 2023 (invoice and shipping and customs documents).

259. ŌIWA Tomoyuki. 1977- . black Bizen-ware drinking cup

 259. ŌIWA Tomoyuki 大岩智之. 1977- . Kuro guinomi 黒ぐい呑   (black [Bizen-ware] drinking cup)

Ōiwa Tomoyuki was born in Kobe, Hyogo prefecture, in 1977, and graduated from the Bizen Ceramic Center in 2004. The following year he became a student of the outsider Kakurezaki Ryūichi 隠崎隆一, with whom he would remain for eight years before going independent. In 2014 he built a half-submerged tunnel kiln (anagama), completing his first firing in 2015. He has since been featured widely and is known for his sake vessels. 

Glazed in dun brown and black. Weight: 158 g (5.6 oz). Height: 5.4 cm (2-1/8 in). Widths: mouth, 5.4 cm (2-1/8 in), widest, 6 cm (2-5/8 in); base, 5 cm (2 in). 

Any given horizontal cross-section of  this is roughly circular. The cup sits on a flat irregular foot ring. Before trimming, the base was probably completely flat. The inside of the base has been gouged out in a rough yin-ying pattern. The foot ring is level, and the cup rests stably on it. This came with a small white sticker with the number 11 on it attached to the base. Above the base the walls rise outward at about a 45-degree angle, to the widest point of the piece, about a centimeter (3/8 in) above the base. From the widest point to the mouth, the walls gradually sloped inward. There are wide, shallow horizontal grooves encircling the cup in this section. The mouth is generally even but has two small dips in it. There are tiny remnants of the three posts used to hold the piece away from the kiln shelves on the black side of the piece. The interior generally mirrors the exterior. The surface of the piece is smooth throughout and has the slight stickiness of a glazed work. 

The bottom, most of the interior, and half of the wall area were glazed in black. The other half of the walls and the lips of the mouth were glazed in a dun brown, which was allowed to drip into the black area of the walls along the horizontal grooves. Where the brown glaze thins out over the black glaze, it turned a light blue color. 

This came in a wooden box, inscribed by the artist in three lines: 黒 /ぐい呑 / sigil (black / small drinking cup //sigil), followed by the artist’s seal stampeed in red. Ōiwa’s sigil is indecipherable but appears to be the characters in his surname. Included in the box were a gray wrapping cloth and a small printed card with the artist’s potted biography. 

Purchased from the Kura Monzen Gallery in Kyoto in September 2024, who purchased it directly from the potter in June 2023 (invoice and shipping documents).