Catalog: Artists: Ceramics (710)

Signature Shunju colorful glaze decorates this expressive vessel by Murakoshi Takuma enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Tobe! (Fly!). The wide piece is like a bird, wings spread wide as it sets to leap for the sky. He says that he made this shape specifically in memory of his wife, who loved flowers. It is 53 cm (21 inches) wide and in perfect condition, directly from the artist.
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 Tenmoku Hanging vase by the living master of that genre, Kimura Morikazu, enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Tetsuyu Kohen Kake-hana-ike. The lozenge form features two lug handles in the shape of a traditional Waniguchi Japanese Shrine Gong. It is 7-1/2 x 6-1/2 x 2 inches (19 x 16.5 x 5.5 cm) nd in excellent condition, retaining the original shiori and wrapping cloth.
Kimura Morikazu was born to the house of a Kyo-yaki potter and studied under Ishiguro Munemaru, He established his first kiln in the Gojo Zaka area of Kyoto in 1947, moving to Fukui in 1976. He is held in the collection of both the Kyoto National Museum of Modern Art and the Imperial Household Agency. He has been displayed at innumerable private exhibitions in addition to major exhibitions such as the Nitten, Nihon Dento Kogeiten(National Traditional Crafts Exhibition) and Nihon Togei Ten (National Ceramics Exhibition) among others. Winner of the Japan Ceramics Society (JCS) award, purchased by the Ministry of Foreign affairs. Morikazu has been incredibly influential on the subsequent generation of potters.

Architectural forms or perhaps the abstracted leaves of a bamboo rise from the surface of this fluting pentagonal vase by Takenaka Ko enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Hakuji Chomon Gokaku Bin (White-glazed Carved-decoration Five-sided Vase). No clue in the name, the artist has left the interpretation up to the viewer. It is 27 cm tall, 16 cm diameter and in excellent condition.
Ko (born 1941) apprenticed under future Living National Treasure Kondo Yuzo before establishing his own kiln in 1970. He was the recipient of one of Japans most prestigious awards, the JCS award (Japanese Ceramics Society) in 1980. He was designated an Intangible Cultural Property of Kyoto in 1995 (Mukei Bunkazai or prefectural Treasure). Works by this artist are held in the Victoria Albert Museum, and the British Museum as well as both the National Museum of Modern Art Tokyo and Kyoto among many others. For more on this influential artist see the catalog for the exhibition “Japanese Ceramics Today: Masterpieces from the Kukichi Collection” (Smithsonian Institute) or Winter Whites: The Porcelains of Takenaka Ko, by Suzanne Mitchell, New York, 2003. Also, Contemporary Clay, Japanese Ceramics for the New Century by Joe Earle, 2005.

Fresh out of the oven, here is a delicious treat to start the new year right, a crusty dancing form by Murakoshi Takuma enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Shigaraki Mimitsuki Hana-ire. Not only does the vase itself feel alive with movement, but the encrustations of ash and glossy molten ash glaze seem to be still in formation, as if it is still settling in the kiln. It is 26 cm (10 inches) tall and in perfect 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 breathtaking new look at Shigaraki Anagama ware by Furutani Taketoshi enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Shigaraki Shizen-yu Yohen Shinogi Tsubo (Natural Ash Glazed Blade Style Shigaraki Tsubo). The artist has coil formed the vessel, with thick walls, then incised a waving pattern leaving a saw-tooth surface dusted in ash with brilliant hi-iro and dark charring. It is 31 cm (12 inches) tall and in excellent condition. Directly from the artist this summer.
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 studying wheel technique, graduating the following year. He then did a year apprenticeship at a pottery before re-entering for a second course at the Research Facility, graduating in 1995. From that year he returned to the family kiln, receiving the family tradition from both his grandfather Furutani Churoku and father Furutani Hirofumi. Subverting the self, he makes simple, organic pots which have a timeless quality, very much rooted in the now, but paying homage to the traditions past down through the ages. He was named a Designated Traditional Craftsman (Dento Kogeishi) in 2013. He has exhibited with the Nihon Dento Kogeiten among others, and still works closely with his father at the family kiln.

A superb work by Japanese Living National Treasure Hara Kiyoshi enclosed in the original signed wooden box dating circa 1985. It is 14 inches (35 cm) diameter, roughly the same height and in fine condition. Due to size the cost of shipping will be accrued separately.
Hara Kiyoshi (b. 1936) was born in Shimane, and studied pottery under Living National Treasures Ishiguro Munemaru and Shimizu Uichi from 1954 before establishing his own kiln, first in Tokyo, then later in Saitama. He was first selected for exhibit at the National Traditional Crafts Exhibition in 1958. In 63 he first exhibited at the Asahi Togeiten Ceramics Exhibition. Since his work has received much attention,both within Japan and abroad in Europe, The Americas and Asia. He received the Japan Ceramic Society prize in 1975, and was named a Living National Treasure for Tetsu-yu in 2005 and is recipient of the Order of the Rising Sun.

My Australian friend nailed it when he looked at this Tsujimura Shiro tsubo and emphatically declared: Bro that is crusty as….
Shiro is known for his lopsided forms and ash encrustation, and this vessel does not disappoint. It is 18 cm (7 inches) diameter, roughly the same height and in excellent condition, enclosed in the original signed wooden box.
Tsujimura Shiro was born in Nara in 1947, and began his steps into the art world as an oil painter in 1965. While living at a Buddhist temple he experienced a profound connection with a Korean Tea Bowl, and began potting. He established his kiln and residence in 1970, with his first solo exhibition held in 1977. By the 1990s he had become an international star, with works exhibited in the US, UK, Germany, France and many other nations. He is highly acclaimed and somewhat reclusive, avoiding the public spectacles often needed to make one in Japan. A must have in any contemporary collection of Japanese ceramic art, work by him is held in museums throughout the globe, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art New York, The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, The Cleveland Museum of Art, The Minneapolis Institute of Arts, The Brooklyn Museum of Art, The Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery at Smithsonian Institution, The Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, The Spencer Museum, Ackland Art Museum, The Art Institute of Chicago, The British Museum, Stockholm Museum of Art and the Miho Museum among many others

Bidoro rain down like a glass bead curtain over the terracotta clay of this Shigaraki Tsubo by Takahashi Shunsai enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 8-1/4 inches (20.5 cm) tall and in fine condition.
Born in 1927, the second son of renowned potter Takahashi Rakusai III in Shigaraki, Takahashi Shunsai left home to study under Taniguchi Ryosai in Kyoto before returning to Shigaraki to pursue his studies of Shigaraki styles specifically under his father and spent the better part of two decades working from that studio. He established his own kiln in 1968. He has been displayed at the Nitten, Nihon Dento Kogei Ten (National Traditional Crafts Exhibition), Nihon Togei ten (National Ceramics Exhibition), Asahi Ceramics Exhibition, as well as a long list of private exhibitions at Japan’s top galleries. He has been often prized as a master of Shigaraki, and has been designated a Shiga Prefectural Intangable Cultural Property (Treasure) in 1995.

Exquisite kiln effects mark this Ujoyaki Tsubo by Imai Rikei from Aomori Prefecture enclosed in the original signed wooden box named Zuiha (Swirling wave). It is 33 cm tall, 29 cm diameter and in excellent condition. Imai Rikei was born in Aomori Prefecture in 1947, and fires in the Ujoykai traditional manner making use of the worlds longest climbing kiln (guiness book of world records, 103 meters long, you can see it on youtube). He has received a number of awards and exhibited with the Asahi Ceramics Exhibition (Asahi Togeiten) among others. He is the most important artist in this lesser known Northern tradition of Japanese pottery.

A large swirling form covered in fissured celadon by Minegishi Seiko enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The glaze is amazing to behold, the layers shattered into thousands of transparent crystallized flakes stacked upon one another. It is roughly 12 inches (31 cm) tall and in excellent condition.
Born in 1952 in Saitama, Minegishi Seiko studied under various masters in Nagano, Tochigi and Ibaragi, going solo at the young age of 22. He worked in Kohiki ware initially, but moved to celadon, and is considered one of a select few true masters of that form in Japan today. He moved his kiln from Saitama to Nasu in Tochigi in 1993, and has since exhibited with the Nihon Dento Kogei Ten, Dento Kogei Shinsaku Ten and Nihon togeitenamong others. A piece by this artist sold at Christies (sale 5579, lot 349) for 1,750 pounds (2,970 dollars). For more see issue 21 of Daruma Magazine.

Reminiscent of an excavated Haniwa figure of a house, this museum quality vase is by Koinuma Michio and comes enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled very simply Tsubo. It is an iconic work by this eclectic artist, whose work is entirely unique and easily discernible. It is 27.5 cm (11 inches) square, 37 cm (14-3/4 inches) tall and in excellent condition. Due to size this will require special shipping consideration.
Koinuma Michio is a compelling figure unique among contemporary artists. He seems to have no limit to his imagination and creativity, still dazzling us with new concepts after four decades. Born in the hectic war years in 1936, he is incredibly intelligent, graduating the economics department of Osaka University, then on to Waseda, one of the top three schools in Japan, for graduate studies in economics and politics. Relinquishing that life he opened a kiln in Mashiko in 1970. Since 1978 he has been consistently displayed at the best galleries in Japan, as well as overseas. For more see Contemporary Japanese Ceramics Fired with Passion (ISBN -10: 1-891640-38-0) or To volume 10, which is dedicated entirely to him.
The image is based on Haniwa funerary objects. The Haniwa are terracotta clay figures of people, animals, and houses which were deposited at Japanese tombs during the Kofun period (3rd to 6th century) in Japan. Haniwa were created according to the wazumi technique, in which mounds of coiled clay were built up to shape the figure, layer by layer. Michio follows that style, then through a process of multiple firing and various techniques degrades the surface to create the feeling of antiquity. A strikingly similar image is published, figure 18, in the anthology Toh, volume 10. According to the encyclopedia of Ancient History many Haniwa are particularly detailed in their execution and thus provide a valuable insight into the culture of the period. Standing over one metre in height, the mysterious figures are a striking example of early Japanese sculpture.

Everything you could want in firing effects decorate the various sides of this Iga Tsubo by Tanimoto Yo enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 23.5 cm (9 inches) diameter, 26.5 cm (10-1/2 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Born in 1958 the son of Iga potter Tanimoto Kosei, Yo was raised among the kilns and has always had his hands in clay. He first began exhibiting in 1982, and in 1984 moved to Europe where he studied oil painting and sculpture (in Spain), and set up a pottery studio outside Paris. After returning to Japan he set uphis own studio in 1988, working both in Japan and and Spain. Since his works have been exhibited widely, both domestically and abroad in New York, London, Barcelona and Paris.

Pastel earth tones color this spontaneous form by Kawamoto Taro enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 25 x 28 x 28 cm (10 x 11 x 11 inches) and is in excellent condition.
Kawamoto Taro (b 1955) graduated Aichi prefectural art university in 1977. He has been exhibited and awarded at many national and international events including the Chunichi Kokusai Togei-ten (Grand Prize twice), Florence International Ceramics Exhibition and the Asahi Togei-ten (Asahi Ceramics Prize). For more on this important modern artist see To, The best selections of contemporary ceramics in Japan, Vol. 74.

Shizen-yu ash glaze and deposits crust the surface of this large Shigaraki Tsubo by Hoshino Ryosai enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 13 inches (33 cm) tall, 10 inches (25 cm) diameter and in excellent condition.
Ryosai was born in Fukuoka, on Japan’s Southern Main Island in 1939, and was raised during the impoverished war years. Perhaps it is this will to live instilled through hardship which invigorates so much of this dynamic artists work. He is held in the collection of the Asia Pacific Museum, the Vatican and Ise Shrine, the heart of Japanese Shinto, among others. For more on this artist see SHIGARAKI : Unexpected Transformations: Beauty of Fire and Flame held at the Japanese American Cultural Community Center, LA.

Wow! Is what comes to mind the first time you see this daring silver glazed organic Kake Hana-ire by Okumura Hiromi. The clay folds about onto itself, forming a seed-like pod, with an opening in the top and wings extending out both sides. A wire loop is affixed to the back for wall hanging. A signed and stamped wooden plackard by the artist accompanies the piece. It is 11 x 14 x 5 inches (28 x 36 x 13 cm) and is in fine condition.
Okumura was born in Kyoto in 1953, and was thus from an early age inducted into the avant-garde world of pottery being created at that time by the founders of Sodeisha and their influence. He graduated the Kyoto Municipal University of Art Ceramic division in 1978. Throughout the 80s a slew of public and private exhibitions led him to an appointment as professor of Ceramics at Kyoto Seika University. He received Grand Prize at the Kyoten in 1990, and has since received other awards there. His work was selected for the traveling exhibition showcasing young Japanese talent “Japanese Pottery: The Rising Generation from Traditional Japanese Kilns”. He has been exhibited frequently in America as well.

A large Egg shaped Zogan vase by Kobayashi Seiji enclosed in the original signed wooden box. Enigmatic lines score the oblong body, the map-like surface filled with blue, green and silver. Seiji is best known for this Zogan technique, and this work is a superb example. It measures 11-1/2 inches (29 cm) long, 7 inches (18.5 cm) tall and is in perfect condition. Seiji (b. 1945) studied initially at the Nagoya Research Facility. He moved to Kasama in 1979. In addition to a long list pf private exhibitions his works have been exhibited at Nihon Dento Kogei Ten (National Traditional Crafts Exhibition), Nihon Togei Ten (NationalCeramics Exhibition) and he won top prize at the 1985 New Zealand International Ceramics Exhibition.

Camellia blossom on this flattened form by Ito Motohiko enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Nunome Tsubaki Mon Kabin (Cloth Texture Vase with Camellia Design). It is 10 inches (26 cm) tall and in excellent condition.
The artist is a famous Kasama potter, best known for his nunome pattern and exceptional designs. Motohiko was born in Fukuoka prefecture, 1939, and graduated the Tokyo University of Art in 1964, then moved on to advanced courses there, finishing in 1966. While at University he studied under Kato Hajime and Fujimoto Yoshimichi. It was in 1967 his first piece was accepted into the 6th Modern National Crafts Exhibition, and the next year would be spent working under to-be-Living National Treasure Matsui Kosei. His list of prizes and exhibitions is much too long to reproduce, but since 1967, he has Exhibited with the Nihon Dento Kogeiten, Nihon Dento Kogei Shinsaku Ten, Dento Kogei Musashino Ten, Tanabe Museum Modern Tea Forms Exhibition, been the subject of an NHK Television documentary, and participated in a ridiculous number of private exhibits at many of Japans top venues, and has been purchased by the current Emperor in person as well as receiving the Shijuho-sho prize from his majesty.

An intriguing handled cylinder vase by Mori Toshiaki enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Bizen Te-tsuki Hana-ire (Handled Vase). This small vase has been cut spirally down, the resulting ribbon wrapped over the top and affixed to the opposite side forming the handle. It is 18.5 cm (7-1/4 inches) tall and in excellent condition, directly from the artist this summer.
Mori Toshiaki was born the first son of traditional Bizen potter Mori Yasushi in 1982.　Growing up in the family kiln, he entered the Bizen ceramic center in 2005, and after a year of study there continued in the family tradition. He has exhibited with the Okayama Ken-Ten art exhibition, Nihon Dento Kogeiten Traditional Crafts Exhibition, Gendai Chato Ten Modern Tea Ceramics Exhibition and the Chanoyu Zokei Ten (New forms in Tea Exhibition in addition to being exhibited in New York, Taiwan, and London.

A soft pallet of blurred pastels blend between gold risers on this elegant form by Yoshita Yukio enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Saishoku Kinsai Hanike and dating circa 2002. It is 11 inches (28 cm) tall and in excellent condition.
Yoshita Yukio is the fourth generation head of the Kinsan Kiln in Kutani, specializing in Kinsai and Yuri-Kinsai wares. Unlike standard Kutani wares, he uses a pallet of soft, earthy or pastels with accents in gold to create a new appeal. Born in Komatsu, Ishikawa in 1960, he first garnered public attention at the Asahi Togeiten in 1985, where his entry was awarded. He has since received many awards, on both local and national levels including the Issui-kai and the Nihon Dento Kogei Ten National Crafts Exhibition and Nihon Togeiten National Ceramic Exhibition. He is held in the collection of the Ishikawa Prefectural Museum, Indianapolis Museum of Art and Komatsu City Museum among others.

An intriguing form by Takeuchi Shingo titled Zogan Hento (An Inlaid Strange Vase) enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It measures 18 x 19 x 24.5 cm and is in fine condition, dating circa 2002.
Takeuchi Shingo(b.1955) hails from Seto city, one of the oldest ceramic production centers in Japan. He studied at the Aichi Prefectural Ceramics Research Facility until 1979, then under the great Kato Shuntei II before establishing his own kiln in 1982. Exhibited at the Asahi Togeiten Ceramics Exhibition, Chunichi Kokusai International Ceramics Exhibition, Nihon Togeiten Ceramics Exhibition, and in innumerable galleries both at home and abroad. He is held in many private and public collections including the Seto Musuem, The Korean International Ceramics Foundation, Yingge Ceramics Museum Taiwan and others.

As mentioned before, what I love about the work of Teramoto Mamoru is it is so vivacious and full of life, full of movement. This vase has all that life and movement on a perfect, elegant form. Here also is another dimension, with the pebble textured surface breaking up the reflection of light granting a tactile quality to the silver. It comes enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Ginasi Hachi (Silver Glazed Bowl) complete with Shiroi and shifuku. The designs of various colors are applied in layers, each abstract from the overlying silver. Signed on the base Mamoru, the vase 32 cm (12-1/2 inches) tall, 17 x 11.5 cm (6-1/2 x 4-1/2 inches) and in excellent condition.
Teramoto Mamoru (1949-present) born in Kanagawa prefecture, initially worked at the Kasama Kobayashi Research Facility after graduating the Tokyo Craft Design Institute. Later he apprenticed under the instruction of both Matsumoto Saichi of Kutani, and Miura Isamu. He established his own kiln in 1976 in Kasama. His works have been displayed and prized at the Nihon Dento Kogeiten (National Traditional Crafts Exhibtion), Nihon Togei Ten (National Ceramics Exhibition) as well as the Shinsaku Ten (New Crafts Exhibition). For more information on this artist see the Catalog from the Nancy Fitz-Gerald Collection. Although Kasama has a long history as a pottery center, when Teramoto established himself there, not many old kilns existed. When asked why he chose the locale, “I thought that would free me from any fixed format and allow me to create freely.”

An iconic representation of this artists work, a large hidasuki Tsubo of red clay marked with burnt straw by Isezaki Mitsuru enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Bizen Tsubo. It is 9-1/2 inches (24 cm) diameter, 10-1/2 inches (26.5 cm) tall and in excellent condition.
Isezaki Mitsuru (b. 1934) was born to a family of potters, his father Yozan and brother Jun both very important in Bizen pottery. In 1998 Mitsuru was named a Prefectural Intangible Cultural Property for Okayama (the prefectural version of a living National Treasure, likely more important as it is truly based on the artists contributions rather than heredity). He has innumerable exhibitions, including the Nihon Togei-Ten (National Ceramics Exhibition) Nihon Dento Kogei-Ten (National Traditional Crafts Exhibition) and Gendai Togei Ten (Modern Japanese Ceramics Exhibition). In fact his first piece exhibited with the First National Ceramic Exhibition was selected for display in a show which went around the globe. Recipient of the Kaneshige Toyo prize as well as purchased by the Japanese Foreign service as gift to foreign dignitaries.

A shell shaped swirling form by young female artist Takatsu Mio enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 6-1/2 inches (16.5cm)wide, roughly 7 inches (18cm) tall and in excellent condition.
Takatsu Mio (b. 1976) was raised in Gifu prefecture among the scattered kilns of Mino. She graduated the Osaka University of Arts Sculpture Department in 1999, moving on to advanced studies which she completed in 2001. Her first exhibited works were in 1999, and then again in Tokyo in 2001. The following year she exhibited with the 6th International Ceramics Exhibition in Mino with several private exhibitions over the following years in some of Japans top venues. In 2005 she made her overseas debut. In 2009 her work was featured in Women Ceramic Artists in the 21st Century (Paramita Museum/Mie Japan) 2011 saw her work accepted into the Faenza International Ceramics Exhibition in Italy, as well as the Nihon Togeiten National Ceramics Exhibition.

A breathtaking work by Miyake Yoji enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Nuki-e Kinsai Sakura-mon Kaki. The unabashed use of gold on this piece is extraordinary. Quite large, it is 39 cm (15-1/2 inches) tall, 27 cm (11 inches) diameter and in excellent condition. This is a step beyond even for an artist known for his bold patterns and designs; this would make a powerful centerpiece for a collection of contemporary Japanese pottery.
Miyake Yoji was 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.

An exquisite vessel in white with elegant stripes of soft color by hard to find Niwa Ryochi enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Senmon Tsubo. There is a palpable grace to the piece which seems to reflect the Japanese appreciation of silence and shadows. It is 27.5 cm (11 inches) diameter, 33 cm (13 inches) tall and in excellent condition. Hirashimizu-yaki started when the Lord Niwa Jizaemon, invited Tojihei Ono, a potter from Ibaraki, to make pottery using clay from Chitoseyama during the Bunka era of the late Edo period. There are four kilns in operation today. During the Bunsei era (1818-1829) Abe Kakuzaemon of the Soma clan visited here, built a kiln, and spread the techniques of Soma-yaki pottery, which contributed to Hirashimizu becoming a large pottery-producing area. During the middle of the Meiji period (late 19th century) when the area was enjoying its most prosperous time, over 30 kilns were in operation. Today only 4 exist. Niwa Ryochi was born in Yamagata in 1931. In 1946 he entered apprenticeship at the Ryusen kiln, and due to circumstance, became 4th head of the kiln in 1950. He has exhibited at the Kofu-Kai, and Nihon Dento Kogeiten National Traditional Crafts exhibition as well as at many of Japans top galleries.

A massive Shigaraki Tsubo by Kanzaki Shiho enclosed in the original signed wooden box. Spectacular keshiki resulting from the combination of multiple kiln affects and textures. The Tsubo is 19-1/2 inches (50 cm) tall, 15 inches (38 cm) diameter and in perfect condition, dating circa 1990. Due to size the cost of shipping will be figured separately from the list price.
Kanzaki (b. 1942) prefers firing his kiln for ten days, resulting in the rich textures and heavy ash deposits apparent on this Tsubo. He began life born in Shigaraki, and was fast tracked into the Kansai University Law Department, but rather the life of a lawyer, after graduation he went with his heart to take up the precarious life of a potter, apprenticing under Mino artist Matsuyama Suketoshi. Later he returned to Shigaraki working there at the research center while developing his own style and methods with the Anagama. He has consistently stayed with the personal world of private exhibitions, developing a large following both at home and abroad and his list of exhibitions is impressive. .He has been the subject of several documentaries and Television interviews, and is widely published. For more information see, The Fire Artist, a documentary by Canadian Director Claude Gagnon.

A beautiful bamboo shaped vessel of pale gray glaze by Takahashi Samon enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Konabiki Hanaire. It is 28 cm (11 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Takahashi Samon (b. 1948) first studied with Kato Kobei V and Living National Treasure Kato Takuo. He then entered the Gifu Prefectural Ceramic Institute to study kiln making before going to the Kamakura kiln of Kitaoji Rosanjin for further study. He established his own kiln in 1977. Unaffiliated, he relies on solo and group exhibitions to show his creations. He is held in the collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.

Not to save the best for last, but this piece by Nagae Shigekazu is simply breathtaking. The pattern of light and dark squares which drives direct lines across the distended quadrilateral form hails images of the Ichimatsu-moyo pattern at the Katsura Rikyu imperial palace. The lyrical curves of the vessel itself are in sharp contrast to the extreme precision of the patterns, creating a unique dialog between viewer and viewed. It comes enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Chokutai (Straightforward). The vessel is quite large at 47 cm (18-1/2 inches) tall, 31.5 x 23 cm (12-1/2 x 9 inches) and in excellent condition.
Nagae Shigekazu (b. 1953) graduated the Seto Industrial School of Ceramics in 1974 Beginning to grab attention in the late 70s, he has striven to perfect porcelain casting techniques, creating one-off shapes and forms previously impossible. He is held in the collection of the V&A (London), LACMA (Los Angeles) and the National Gallery of Australia, Cincinnati and Cleveland Art Museums, Minneapolis Institute of Art, Japan Foundation and many many others. With very low output, this is a rare opportunity to join the worlds top museum collections by acquiring this artist. According to Ceramics Now Magazine: Nagae Shigekazu (born in 1953), is one of the leading pioneers of porcelain casting and firing techniques in Japan. Casting is commonly associated with the mass production of porcelain, yet Nagae valiantly transcends this stereotype, ultimately elevating this technique to the avant-garde. Casting alone cannot achieve the natural movements found within Nagae’s forms. His popularity and recognition as an artist have skyrocketed, with acquisitions by the V&A in London, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the National Gallery of Australia in just the past 3 years. Also collected by leading institutions such as the Musée National de Ceramique-Sèvres in Paris and the Musée Ariana in Geneva, among others, as well as receiving prestigious awards such as the Grand Prixs at the 1998 Triennale de la Porcelain in Nyon, the Mino Ceramic Festival and the Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition (both 1997), Nagae’s stature and respect in the world of porcelain has reached new heights.

A Capricious sculpture like a colorful head towel removed yet retaining its shape by pioneering 20th century female artist Matsuda Yuriko signed on the base and enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Kinrande Utsuwa. It is 9 x 7 x 5 1/2 Inches (22 x 17 x 14 cm) and in excellent condition.
Matsuda Yuriko was born in Ashiya, Hyōgō Prefecture in 1943nd lives and works in Oshino, Yamanashi Prefecture. Yuriko is an avid exhibitor; it is a wonder she has time to do any work at all. Both within Japan (Nihon Togei Ten, Gendai Togei Ten etc.) and without she has an impressive list of exhibitions in a host of countries. She received the Yagi Kazuo prize in 1986 among many others. According to the book “Touch Fire”, Many of the women artists included in this exhibition are independent innovators who work outside the constraints of Japanese ceramic traditions. However, several of the artists, including Matsuda Yuriko, continue to use traditional techniques with skills that rival, if not exceed, those of their predecessors, and in doing so they create new and challenging contemporary ceramic Sytg art. They reinterpret the traditional decorative technique for porcelain vessels, called iro-e over-glaze enameling, and transposes its motifs onto nonfunctional objects. Her beautifully enameled iro-e porcelain sculptures are witty odes to two favorite subjects: the female body and Mount Fuji. For more information on this artist and examples of her work see the books Contemporary Japanese Ceramics, Fired with Passion by Beatrice Chang and Samuel Lurie. Also see Contemporary Clay, Japanese Ceramics for the New Century based on the Museum of Fine Arts Boston exhibition or Soaring Voices, Contemporary Japanese Women Ceramic Artists (2010).

A large tsubo in gold and white slip by Miyashita Hideko enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Haku-a Kaki Rin to Shite Yo. The title speaks of standing up alone, and the artist told me it was a piece she created when she came to terms with the grief of her husband passing away and had decided to make a fresh go of life. The form was influenced by ancient Chinese maternal sculptures, thus the forward, broad stance. An image of one of the sculptures can be seen on a ticket stub from the museum exhibition which will be included. This was exhibited in 2016 at the Kyoto Kogei Bijutsu Sakka Kyokai Ten (Kyoto Society of Artist and Craftsperson Exhibition) and published in the catalog for that event. It is 11 x 14 x 19 inches (28 x 35.5 x 48 cm) and is in perfect condition.
Miyashita Hideko was born in Tatsuno, Hyogo prefecture in 1944. She graduated the Kyoto Municipal University of Arts in 1967, her final project garnering the Tomimoto Prize, and that year she was accepted into the Kyoto Prefectural Art Exhibition as well as the Kyoten. In honorable Japanese fashion she put her career second to that of her husband, the famed Miyashita Zenji, but remained active in the ceramics world through crafts during her long marriage. In 1978 she was awarded at the WCC Craft Competition, and her subsequent list of awards and shows in impressive, with solo exhibitions at some of Japan’s top galleries and participation in the Asahi Modern Craft Exhibition, Asahi Togeiten Ceramics Exhibition and the National Ceramics Exhib9tion (Nihon Togeiten). After the passing of her husband in 2012 she has been reinvigorated to work, creating more large scale and sculptural works which are grabbing attention.

A huge museum quality pottery vase by Konishi Yohei (b.1941) enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Tokoname Sen-Jomon Tsubo. The vase is 17-1/2 inches (45 cm) tall, roughly the same diameter and weighs 14 kg (30 lbs). It is in excellent condition, dating circa 1990. Yohei was born the son of Konishi Yusen in Tokoname city, graduating the Tokoname Ceramics institute in 1959. He was first accepted into the Modern Japan Ceramics Exhibition (Gendai Togeiten) in 1960 and has since racked up a tremendous list of exhibitions. Those include the Nitten, Nihon Dento Kogei Ten (National Traditional Crafts Exhibition) and Asahi Togei Ceramics Exhibition. Also the Nihon Mingei Ten, Sanki-Kai Ten(prized), Issui-Kai Ten and Chunichi Kokusai Togei Ten (prized). Barollis French International Exhibition (silver prize). Shipping will be considered separately due to size.

Flying goma ash dusts the ribbon scalloped sides of this large Bizen vase by Matsumoto Katsuya enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The piece is 12 inches (31 cm) tall, 11 inches (28 cm) wide and in excellent condition. Born in neighboring Hyogo prefecture in 1942, at the age of 29 Katsuya apprenticed under Fujiwara Yu. He opened his own kiln in 1976. In 1982 he debuted at the Nihon Dento Kogei Ten (National Traditional Crafts Exhibition) and has consistently been exhibited there since, followed by both the Chunichi International Ceramics Exhibition and the Asahi Ceramics Exhibition, as well as the National Japanese Ceramics Exhibition.

An organic form by Ikegami Kazuo enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Bitchu Obuje. It is 8-1/2 x 7-1/2 x 9 inches (21.5 x 19 x 23 cm) and is in fine condition.

A large Shinshoku Ware-tsubo eroded through natural processes during firing with a shattered rim attached to the body at the shoulder. This piece is a virtual textbook on Yohen firing effects. Tamadare, Shinshoku, koge and other effects are supplanted by a large white kutsuki on the front, all under the shadow of the shattered rim fused to the shoulder. It is roughly 10 inches (25 cm) tall, the same diameter enclosed in a fine kiri-wood box. To quote from Japanese Wood fired Ceramics, Ceramic pieces exposed to prolonged high temperatures and heavy ash deposit will begin to erode…as the erosion progresses, holes may appear in the ceramic pieces. This usually occurs just before major collapse. Here we see heavy erosion on the fire side of the piece, heavily coated in ash and deeply pitted. The Japanese aesthetic emphasizes asymmetry and an appreciation of the Natural forces. This aesthetic is best expressed with the respect shown towards accidents of firing, often highly appreciated for their unique qualities. Connoisseurs spend years searching for that one unpredictable piece, and it can become the focal point of a collection, most appropriate in the dark humble confines of a tea room.
Tsukigata Nahiko (1923-2006) was not only an accomplished ceramic artist, but also a painter, calligrapher, sculptor and musician. Born in Niigata prefecture, he was at Waseda University in 191 when he was summarily drafted into the Army. After the war he attended the Arts course of Nippon Daigaku University and was struck by the works of Living National Treasure Arakawa Toyozo, to whom he apprenticed in the arts of Shino and took his mentors work to a new level. Like all art, his was alive and always evolving. Starting with the replication and research of Momoyama techniques to the culmination of his efforts in Oni-shino, Nahiko has taken Shino beyond all others. It was not an eas road, for the first 15 years he worked for a ballet school, spent time as a recluse priest at Myoanji temple, and wandered the country playing the shakuhachi. It was a time of great change in Japan, starvation was rampant immediately after the war and supporting oneself through the little known art of Shino-yaki was difficult. However he perservered, along with Toyozo, Kato Juuemon, Kato Kohei and others, to bring Shino to the forefront of ceramic arts. Heavily prized domestically and abroad in his lifetime, his low output and unique quality make his work a must have for collectors.

A bottle decorated with biblical passages by Araki Takako fired at the kiln of Uchida Koichi enclosed in the original wooden box signed by KOichi. It is the introduction of Mary from the book of Luke. The slender bottle itself is very much in the style and color of Koichi, and one might venture to say he had a hand in its making. The biblical passage is the obvious work of Takako, and on bottom is engraved her signature. The vase is 23 cm (9 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Araki Takako (1921-2004) was born daughter of a Zen priest in Nishinomiya, Hyogo prefecture between the cities of Osaka and Kobe. Araki devoted herself to the family profession of flower arranging until 1952 when she began to study painting. From 1960 to 1961 she studied sculpting in New York before returning to Japan where she studied ceramics at Kyoto Municipal Polytechnique School (today’s Kyoto Municipal Institute of Industrial Technology), and then in different pottery centers. Her reputation for sculptural ceramics was established in 1979 when she received the grand prize at the Nihon Tôgei Ten National Ceramics Exhibition as well as internationally the silver prize and Grand Prize at Faenza International Ceramic Competition, Italy. In 1996 she was awarded the JCS Gold prize, arguably the most important award for a potter, by the Japan Ceramics Society. Her work is held in the Art Gallery of New South Wales (Australia). For more see Soaring Voices-Contemporary Japanese Women Ceramic Artists, 2007.
Uchida Koichi is a ceramic genius bornin Nagoya in 1969. He travelled extensively to various ceramic centers around the world, surveying environments, techniques and the overall culture of pottery before setting up his own studio in Mie in 1992. He eschews the world of competitive exhibition in favor of the intimate world and direct contact of the private gallery. This has not inhibited his reputation, and at the very young age of 34 was held a solo exhibition of his oeuvre at the Paramita Museum. He has also been exhibited internationally in Australia, China, England, India, Italy, Korea, New York, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam among others. For more see New Forms New Voices (New Orleans Museum of Art, 2017).

A flagrant barrage of color gets in your face with this futuristic vessel by Yanagihara Mutsuo enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Saimon Kabin (Colored Vase). Over the crackled sunshine yellow gleams platinum on lightning strikes of red, completely juxtaposed to the cool blue of the interior. Very much an iconic work by this eclectic artist. It is 17.5 cm (7 inches) diameter, 15 cm (6 inches) tall and in perfect condition.
Yanigahara Mutsuo (b.1934) was raised in Seto, and studied in Kyoto along with contemporary Morino Taimei with whom he maintained a lifelong friendship. His work is largely sculptural, and his choice of colors is his reflection on the decadence of Japanese society. A list of exhibitions and awards would be much too long but includes the Japan Ceramics Society Gold prize in 2002. Listed as one of the most influential potters of the 20th century in the Japanese ceramics magazine Honoho Geijutsu, he is held in the Museum of Modern Art, both Tokyo and Kyoto (MOMAT, MOMAK), The National Museum of Art, Osaka, V&A, Great Victoria Art Gallery, Portland and any number of other prominent public and private collections throughout the world. For more see Japanese Studio Crafts, Tradition and the Avant Garde by Rupert Faulkner. According to the V&A his “work is striking for its blend of dynamism, colour and wit. A leading figure among Kyoto artists, Yanagihara has taught at Osaka University of Arts since 1968. Yanagihara's application of brightly coloured abstract motifs to vessel forms with anatomical, sometime sexually explicit features - a combination with which he first experimented in the late 1960s and early 1970s - has been a characteristic of his work for the past fifteen years. As in the case of Morino Taimei, a close friend and exact contemporary at Kyoto City University of Arts in the late 1950s, Yanagihara has been considerably influenced by the experiences he gained during two periods of teaching in the United States in 1966-8 and 1972-4. His use of gold and silver - a wry comment, he has explained, on the decaying values of contemporary society and the corruption of Japan's political system - echoes the extravagant style of certain North American artists.”