150,000 yen-Under Consideration-Exchange Rates at www.xe.com/ucc/
Nagaoka Masami fires his small anagama to the limit, meaning the works within border on melting into themselves, and just at the right moment he ceases to stoke the kiln. Each work is truly a gift from the kiln gods and the spirit of the man himself. This is a wondrous mizusashi with a custom-made cedar-cherry lid that Nagaoka also made; it stands at 22cm.tallx20, signed on base.
A cleft of white devides the black sides of this proud antique Kuro Oribe Chaire tea urn which is enclosed in an antique wooden box. The wet clay has been cut at the foot, formed and gashed before dipping into the two colored glazes and decorated with hanging flowers. It retains the orginal gold lined white ceramic lid. The piece is 3-3/4 inches (9 cm) tall, 2-1/4 inches (6 cm) diameter and in excellent condition.
Summer tea bowl by Kato Eizan inscribed by Inaba Shinden (1906-1986), Former Chief Abbot of Kokutai-ji Temple. The bowl is 5-3/4 inches diameter, 2 inches tall and comes enclosed in the original signed box. It reads Juutai. The inscription is an unusual combination of characters. The first character is of course, fortune or long life. Together they intimate ancient pine, or could be something festive celebrating fortune and strength (the pine never drops its leaves and lives for eons).
... Click for details
We've offered quite a few works by Yamada Kazu (b.1954) in the past, yet this is his first 'dancing fire' Enbu Shino chawan ever. So aptly named, as if the glaze personifies fire as it whirls around the kiln and dances over the dark iron rich clay. A chawan that is mystical and eerie at the same time; quite intense indeed, 8.5cm.tallx13x11.8, signed on base(the dark clay plays a roll in the glaze tones) and with a signed box.
Here is a pure ivory white porcelain chawan-tea bowl by Ono Kotaro(b.1953). Perfect for summer--good hint is to place the chawan in the fridge and then whip up some matcha--with magical swirling carved patterns. Light in the hands and cool to the touch, the chawan is 8.5cm.tallx12.8, stamped on base and with a signed box. More about Ono--an award-winning artist-work in the MET--in our archives.
Fujiwara Yu(1932-2001) was the fourth Bizen potter to be named a Living National Treasure (LNT), that was in 1996. His father Kei was also a LNT--the second for Bizen; first was Kaneshige Toyo, third was Yamamoto Toshu and now we have Isezaki Jun. Yu had an illustrious career winning the Japan Ceramic Society Award in 1967 and designated an Okayama Prefectural Intangible Cultural Property in 1980; his works are in major museums here in Japan and worldwide. Here is a very good chaire with a class... Click for details
Here is a fantastic split-foot warikodai Shino-style chawan by Tsujimura Shiro; in perfect condition with a signed box, 8.8cm.tallx14.2, signed on side, dating to 2007, similar one shown in his Mitsukoshi exhibition catalog.
Ono Zuiho(b.1911) is a true, pure Hagi potter in his relaxed traditional chawan forms and warm glazes; this comes from decades of throwing and firing. I selected this chawan for the ink landscape feel to the varied beige tones and also for the deep well Ido form that is perfect for matcha. In perfect condition with a signed box, 8.1cm.tallx13.8cm.wide, stamped on base.
This finely designed mid-1900’s vase, shaped as a mallet, is a product of the Kasama kilns. The clay is covered in a crackled blue toned glaze. Excellent condition.
Height: 10”
Diameter (across the middle): 6”
Stoneware vase made by a great potter, Shoji hamada, with four applied archaic style motives, the ribbed shoulder with speckled green glaze, and the lower part with a dark brown glaze revealing the ochre body beneath depicting stylized waves. This vase is in excellent in condition and a custom fitted box signed by Shinsaku Hamada, a son of shoji and sealed with shoji's stamp. This work was exhibited in Crietie's Auction in 2008.
... Click for details
