Bizen Guinomi

This is a Bizen sake cup by Rokuro Nakamura, a master craftsman of Bizen ware and a legendary figure celebrated as a god of sake vessel making. This piece dates from a period slightly before his later years, crafted just as his work began to evolve into its distinctively alluring form. It features a *sangiri* (kiln-change) glaze, with a beautiful golden line running across the front. The piece shows excellent reduction throughout, and its understated, grey-toned finish suggests it will continue to evolve gracefully over a long period of time. Includes signed wooden box (with double-sided slats and outer protective box)
Diameter 7.3cm x Diameter 7.3cm x Height 5.4cm Rokuro Nakamura worked as a company employee until the end of the war, after which he studied under Living National Treasure Toyo Kaneshige in 1945 to refine his technical skills, eventually establishing his own "Rokuro Kiln" in 1961. He particularly favored creating sake vessels like *tokkuri* (sake bottles) on the potter's wheel, though he also produced *awabin* (tea servers), *kyusu* (teapots), and tea bowls using the *tatara* slab-building technique. His style was rustic and wild; as a practitioner of *yakishime* unglazed stoneware, he placed great importance on the firing process and devoted immense effort to kiln loading, which he believed determined the quality of his works. He was recognized as a Traditional Craftsman in 1986, the same year he received the Okayama Nichinichi Shimbun Prize, and in 1989, he was awarded the Order of the Blue Paulownia Leaves in the Spring Decorations. He passed away in April 2004.