Bizen sake bottle

This is an earlier Bizen tokkuri (sake flask) by the prodigy Juro Harada, who was noted as having "frightening potential" while researching ancient Bizen alongside the great Bizen scholar, Dr. Matazaburo Katsura. It is a truly spirited flask that embodies "Harada-ism," crafted by throwing a thick piece and then shaving it into a four-sided shape. It has been fired until the natural black color emerges from the clay body, creating a striking contrast between the black and the vibrant yellow sesame glaze (kama-goma). The mouth is left untouched after throwing, with coarse sesame glaze fused onto it like a wild sword blade, while the circular "marunuke" opening on the front was intended to bring out a scarlet hue but fired so intensely that it turned a blunt shiso-leaf purple. It is a samurai-like vessel that embodies the wabi-sabi world of Bizen in an almost clumsy way, making one want to use it freely and thoroughly. The original wooden box (tomobako) is quite large and remains in its original state from when it was first crafted. (Please note that this is an earlier work and shows very slight signs of use.) Original signed wooden box (shiho-zan) with cover
Mouth 3.3cm x Body diameter 7.4cm x Body diameter 7.3cm x Height 13.5cm; Capacity approx. 300cc Juro Harada began his pottery career in 1969 after working for a company following his graduation from Meiji University. He built an ana-gama kiln in 1971 and a climbing kiln the following year, committing himself fully to ceramics. Beginning in 1975, he studied old kiln sites and ancient Bizen under the guidance of the Bizen researcher Matazaburo Katsura. In 1991, he built an ana-gama kiln on Amidayama in Ushimado. He created jars, tea ceremony utensils, and leaf-shaped dishes, primarily using the coiling method, with some use of the potter's wheel. He actively held solo exhibitions in Tokyo, Osaka, and elsewhere. In 1983, he held a two-person exhibition at the National Museum of Australia with Kenji Funaki of Fushina ware. He received the Japan Ceramic Society Award in 2000. In 2002, his work was exhibited and acquired for the opening commemorative exhibition of the Museum of Modern Ceramic Art, Gifu. In 2005, his work was acquired by the New Orleans Museum of Art.