Bizen guinomi

This is a Bizen sake cup by Rokuro Nakamura, a master craftsman of Bizen ware and renowned as a god of sake vessel creation. It is a work from his 70s, a period slightly before his final years. The piece is crafted from clay rich in iron and fired thoroughly, featuring black iron specks within the earthy texture that serve as a highlight. The front, interior, and base display a pleasing reddish earth tone, which will surely change into a wonderful color as it is used. The form is more orthodox than the image of his very late work, possessing a modest yet sturdy and refined character. Original signed wooden box (shiho-zan)
Diameter 7.1cm × Diameter 6.9cm × Height 5.7cm Rokuro Nakamura was a salaryman until the end of the war, but in 1945, he began training under Living National Treasure Toyo Kaneshige to hone his skills, eventually establishing his own kiln, Rokuro-gama, in 1961. He favored creating sake vessels such as tokkuri on the potter's wheel. Using the slab-building technique (tatara), he also crafted teapots, kyusu, and tea bowls. Known for his unsophisticated and wild style, he valued the firing process for his unglazed stoneware and devoted great effort to the kiln loading, which determined the quality of his work. He became a certified traditional craftsman in 1986, winning the Sanyo Shimbun Prize that same year, and was awarded the Order of the Blue Paulownia Leaves in the spring of 1989. He passed away in April 2004.