Hello everyone, how have you been?
The days feel a little longer now, but we are still in the middle of a cold spell.
Today, I would like to introduce two superb sake vessels by the master craftsman Sozan Kaneshige.
Thankfully, these pieces were sold immediately in the shop, but
both feature rare and profound kiln-transmutation effects, so I hope you will take a look.
① "Kase" (Matte) Kiln-Transmutation Sake Cup
The first is a "kase" kiln-transmutation sake cup.
One side features intense ash-covered kiln transmutation with raised ash, while the other side shows a soft, matte "enoki-hada" (hackberry skin) sesame effect.
② Kiln-Transmutation Sake Cup
The second is an ash-covered kiln-transmutation sake cup.
One side features a blue-gray "sea cucumber skin" effect, while the other exhibits a "magma kiln-transmutation" effect created by ash covering in scarlet and carbonized silvery-purple.
What did you think of these "katami-gawari" (half-and-half) variations of Sozan Kaneshige’s exquisite kiln-transmutations?
As with these pieces, subtle differences of just a few centimeters in the kiln can lead to variations
in temperature and firing conditions, sometimes causing the kiln effects to be divided exactly like a border line.
One side becomes ash-covered, buried in the embers produced during firing, while the other side,
exposed to the direct atmosphere, shows a completely different appearance depending on the fire and the arrangement of walls or kiln shelves.
While the term "katami-gawari" originally refers to kimono tailoring or asymmetrical glazing in pottery,
this "katami-gawari" exists in Bizen as well, tailored by the gods of fire and the kiln.
With the ambiguous boundaries of unglazed, high-fired clay mediating between the two styles,
the piece can exist naturally even with such a stark contrast in appearance.
Perhaps this is a unique way of bringing out the charm of Bizen, something only possible for Master Sozan Kaneshige, who was also skilled in glazed ceramics.
In today's HP update at 8:00 PM on the 5th, I would like to introduce a scarlet-cord (hidaski) sake cup, also by Master Sozan Kaneshige.
It is a hidaski cup crafted around 1975, characterized by a particularly strong firing typical of that period.
According to [Kaneshige] ? sensei, "Sozan collected enough clay to last even through his grandchildren's generation,"
and this is a Momoyama-style hidaski work fired in an electric kiln, using premium clay carefully selected by Sozan himself.
For detailed images of the works, please inquire at the address below.
Tel 0869-67-2210 Fax 0869-67-2220
Email to Kawaguchi Tourakuen (Clicking opens the email composition screen)