Hello everyone, how are you doing?
Today, I would like to introduce a tea cup by Toyo Kaneshige and one by Sozan Kaneshige.
As the title suggests, the theme is "brotherly tea cups" rather than the traditional "brotherly sake cups."
It is a timeless pairing of Toyo, who dedicated himself to the revival of Bizen ware, and his brother Sozan, who went on to explore his own unique artistic path after supporting his brother.
When placed side by side, Toyo Kaneshige's style appears grand and generous, while Sozan Kaneshige's style possesses a certain allure.
They are similar in height and in the "goma" (sesame) glaze firing pattern, which forms an inverted triangle on the front.
The "ishihaze" (stone burst) on the front and the clean-cut foot are particularly impressive.
The texture has a subtle "yuzu-hada" (citron skin) finish, and the wheel marks along with the well-articulated carving at the base are striking.
The sharp carving of the foot reveals a vibrant "hi-dasuki" (cord-marked) firing, serving both as a functional prevention against sticking and as a beautiful landscape.
Contrasting with the dynamic carving of the body, the foot design is simple. Perhaps this unique rhythm is what creates such allure.
What did you think of these brotherly tea cups?
Since tea cups by both Toyo Kaneshige and Sozan Kaneshige rarely appear on the market, I decided to write this article to mark the rare occasion of having both together.
Looking at them now, Toyo Kaneshige’s piece has a bright, warm firing, while Sozan Kaneshige’s has a more refined, subdued finish; as I was photographing them, they began to feel like the sun and the moon.
They are currently on display at the Kawaguchi Tourakuen shop, so please feel free to stop by and see them if you are in the area.
(Toyo Kaneshige/Bizen Tea Cup size: diameter 8.2cm x height 9.8cm price: ¥250,000, certified by Kosuke)
(Sozan Kaneshige/Ibe Tea Cup size: diameter 7.1cm x height 9.5cm price: Sold, certified by Yuho)
For detailed images and information on the works, please contact us below.
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