Bizen sake bottle

This Bizen sake bottle is the work of Yozan Isezaki, who was born in Imbe and left behind numerous masterpieces of ceramic crafts and figures, earning him designation as an Okayama Prefecture Intangible Cultural Property. With its slender neck, the scallion-shaped bottle possesses a refined, wabi-sabi air that evokes the style of classic Bizen presentation bottles, despite being a modern piece. Its sophisticated surface, characterized by "kase" kiln transformation, features a rich, subdued earth tone layered over a deep, viscous shiso-red base. The substantial weight in the hand evokes a sense of nostalgia for the manual pottery wheel. It is a wonderful work that captures the timeless, authentic charm of the clay itself. (Please be aware that as this piece is quite old, there may be some signs of wear.) The piece will be accompanied by the original paulownia wood box shown in the image, which will be inscribed by Jun Isezaki.
(Please note that it will take some time to have the box inscribed.)
Rim diameter 3.6cm × Body diameter 9.4cm × Body diameter 9.4cm × Height 14.4cm, Capacity approx. 350cc Yozan Isezaki was born in Imbe in 1902. Although he initially aspired to be a Japanese-style painter, family circumstances led him to master traditional spatula techniques at the Korakuen kiln. In his youth, he studied pottery under Yusen Tajima and established his own kiln in 1933. Skilled in crafts, he created many masterpiece ceramic figures and ornaments, including large-scale works such as the statues of Shinsaku Takasugi, Hiromushi Wake, and Kiyomaro Wake in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture. In his later years, he also worked on the potter's wheel. He successfully restored ancient kilns in the Koya Mountains and was a holder of the Prefecture's Important Intangible Cultural Property. He passed away in 1961 at the age of 60.