Bizen Ibe Tokkuri

This is a sake bottle (tokkuri) by the master craftsman Mitsuaki Hibata (Kōken-jin), a native of Bizen who contributed to the region both as a researcher and as an artist, leaving behind numerous achievements. It is a quintessential work by Hibata: small in size yet possessing serious, powerful lines. The ash-covered surface, fired to a crisp finish, has transformed into a fine "sea cucumber" skin (namako-hada) that shows not the slightest hint of the dullness often caused by ash buildup. Even the sharp, rugged protrusions of the scorched sesame glaze (koge-goma) evoke a sense of cleanliness. With its understated, slim form and an honest, direct firing technique, the result is a piece of impeccable beauty.

Includes original signed box (shiho-san).
Rim diameter 3.9 cm × Body diameter 9.5 cm × Body diameter 9.5 cm × Height 11.9 cm. Capacity: approx. 330 ml.

Mitsuaki Hibata came from a family of chief priests at Amatsu Shrine, the guardian deity of Ibe in Bizen—a town synonymous with pottery. He was well known both as a Bizen ware artist and as a local historian specializing in the study of Bizen ware; his written works include "History of Ibe Town," "History of Bizen Ware," and "Appreciation of Bizen Ware." While pursuing his historical research, he began visiting famous artists in his spare time around 1960 to hone his pottery techniques, eventually inheriting the ancestral "Amatsu Kiln" and dedicating himself to the craft. In 1968, while serving as the director of the Bizen City Community Center, he received the Minister of Education Award for his outstanding achievements and had the honor of an audience with the Emperor at the Imperial Palace. He retired from his director post in 1970 to focus entirely on his pottery, receiving the Okayama Prefecture Educational and Cultural Merit Award the same year. By 1975, he had been selected for the Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition four times and became a full member of the Japan Kōgei Association. He began researching gold-leaf decoration in 1979 and donated a gold-leaf tea bowl to the Ise Grand Shrine in 1980. In 1985, he received the Okayama Nichinichi Shimbun Culture Award, and in 1988, he was honored by the prefectural governor as a master craftsman. He also made significant contributions to the development of culture and education as the chairman of the Bizen City Cultural Property Protection Committee. He passed away in 2002. This is a sake bottle (tokkuri) by the master craftsman Mitsuaki Hibata (Kōken-jin), a native of Bizen who contributed to the region both as a researcher and as an artist, leaving behind numerous achievements. It is a quintessential work by Hibata: small in size yet possessing serious, powerful lines. The ash-covered surface, fired to a crisp finish, has transformed into a fine "sea cucumber" skin (namako-hada) that shows not the slightest hint of the dullness often caused by ash buildup. Even the sharp, rugged protrusions of the scorched sesame glaze (koge-goma) evoke a sense of cleanliness. With its understated, slim form and an honest, direct firing technique, the result is a piece of impeccable beauty. Includes original signed box (shiho-san).
Rim diameter 3.9 cm × Body diameter 9.5 cm × Body diameter 9.5 cm × Height 11.9 cm. Capacity: approx. 330cc Mitsuaki Hibata came from a family of chief priests at Amatsu Shrine, the guardian deity of Ibe in Bizen—a town synonymous with pottery. He was well known both as a Bizen ware artist and as a local historian specializing in the study of Bizen ware; his written works include "History of Ibe Town," "History of Bizen Ware," and "Appreciation of Bizen Ware." While pursuing his historical research, he began visiting famous artists in his spare time around 1960 to hone his pottery techniques, eventually inheriting the ancestral "Amatsu Kiln" and dedicating himself to the craft. In 1968, while serving as the director of the Bizen City Community Center, he received the Minister of Education Award for his outstanding achievements and had the honor of an audience with the Emperor at the Imperial Palace. He retired from his director post in 1970 to focus entirely on his pottery, receiving the Okayama Prefecture Educational and Cultural Merit Award the same year. By 1975, he had been selected for the Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition four times and became a full member of the Japan Kōgei Association. He began researching gold-leaf decoration in 1979 and donated a gold-leaf tea bowl to the Ise Grand Shrine in 1980. In 1985, he received the Okayama Nichinichi Shimbun Culture Award, and in 1988, he was honored by the prefectural governor as a master craftsman. He also made significant contributions to the development of culture and education as the chairman of the Bizen City Cultural Property Protection Committee. He passed away in 2002.