Bizen furidashi

This is a Bizen ware *furidashi* (sweetmeat container) by Kei Fujiwara, an artist beloved by all for a warm style that radiated both boldness and kindness. As expected of a master who, despite his stature as a Living National Treasure, consistently created charming small items that delighted viewers with his ingenious ideas, this piece is a true rarity. Its large *nuke* (clear fire-marked area), which makes the most of the unique long-jar form, and the sophisticated *goma* (sesame-seed ash glaze) reflect the profound firing characteristics of his later years. Housed in a double wooden box with its original storage box, it is clear that this was a favorite masterpiece of Fujiwara-sensei. Original box (shiho-san, double box)
Diameter 7.6cm × Diameter 7.6cm × Height 10.5cm Kei Fujiwara (1899–1983, born in Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture) entered the path of Bizen ware at the suggestion of Atsuo Masamune, a scholar of Japanese literature living in Honami, Bizen. He received instruction in wheel-throwing from Baikai Mimura, and from 1941, he honed his skills by learning firing techniques from fellow Living National Treasure Toyo Kaneshige. Following the simplicity and boldness seen in the utilitarian wares of the Kamakura and Muromachi periods, he produced jars and flower vases with a generous and clear style. The appreciation for art he absorbed in his youth influenced his work. In 1954, he became the second person to be designated a Holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property (Living National Treasure) for Bizen ware, and in 1958, he became a director of the Japan Kōgei Association. In 1977, he established the Kei Fujiwara Memorial Museum in Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture.
Major awards: Okayama Prefecture Cultural Award, Sanyo Shimbun Award, Chugoku Cultural Award; Honorary Citizen of Bizen City; Honorary Resident of Okayama Prefecture; posthumously awarded the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Third Class.