Rough unrefined Shigaraki clay, with little iron oxide, thrown into the shape of a small tsubo called 'uzukumaru'. The unglazed body was scorched by the fire to a beautiful red discolouration. The bottom plate shows two stripes called 'geta', which held the pot in place on the hand wheel. Some flying ash has created a natural glaze on the shoulder and the mouth. Inside some lacquer or other chemical has been applied to prevent the vase from leaking - a common practice with unglazed Shigaraki ware.
Hight: 19.5 cm
Width (mouth) 8.1 cm
Width (over all) 14.5 cm
The newer wooden box (kiribako) is of high quality and is inscribed on the lid: "ko-shigaraki uzukumaru hanaike" and on the inside: "muromachi makki no saku, XXX,
measures and signed Katsura Matazaburo". Katsura M. 1901-1986, was one of the leading scholars on Japanese pottery.
Shigaraki Uzukumaru Vases are considered to be the first Japanese ceramics 'adopted' for the Japanese tea ceremony in the late Muromachi period, up to then Chinese and Korean ware was used exclusively.
This Uzukumaru Hanaire was already exhibited from May to September 2011 in the famous Keramion Museum in Frechen, Germany and published in a great book called 'Momoyama Keramik und ihr Einfluss auf die Gegenwart' (Momoyama Ceramics and their influence until today) - page 37, Catalog Number 51, ISBN-978-3-94005-06-8 .
The book is written in German and English with a foreword of the Japanese ambassador in Germany.
The box and a new version of the book are part of my offer.
Shipping included.
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