Bizen tea cup

This is a Bizen beer mug by Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki, who continues to lead the world of Bizen pottery with an inexhaustible creative power. It features the dazzling color variations characteristic of an anagama kiln, with the base deep-red clay body energetically shifting into shades of dark brown and amber. The bundled straw used for the *tasuki* (sash) markings creates an intriguing landscape; one side exhibits a clear *hidaski* (fire-cord) pattern, while the other side has fused with *goma* (ash glaze) to transform into glassy crystals. This premium, top-tier Bizen beer mug is frequently chosen as a gift. Signed wooden box (shiho-san)
Diameter 7.7cm × Diameter 7.6cm × Height 9.3cm Jun Isezaki was born the second son of Yozan Isezaki, an artist known for his skill in figurative pottery. He learned ceramics from an early age and began his professional career after graduating from the Special Art Course at Okayama University in 1959. His works range widely from traditional pieces such as vases, plates, and tea ceremony ceramics to sculptural works like ceramic walls and objects. In his creative process, he emphasizes both molding and firing. He is known for a style overflowing with contemporary sensibility that maximizes the characteristics of the materials and the kilns (anagama, climbing kilns, and electric kilns). He is also a leading figure in relief art, having presented numerous works in this medium. In 1966, he became a regular member of the Japan Kōgei Association. He served as a lecturer for the Special Art Course at Okayama University for nine years starting in 1978. In 1998, he and his brother, Mitsuru Isezaki, were both designated as holders of Okayama Prefecture Important Intangible Cultural Property, and in the same year, he became the secretary-general of the Chugoku branch of the Japan Kōgei Association. In July 2004, he was designated a holder of a nationally recognized Important Intangible Cultural Property.
Awards: Recipient of numerous awards, including the Kaneshige Toyo Award, the Okayama Prefectural Cultural Encouragement Award, the Sanyo Shimbun Award, and the Excellence Award at the Tea Ceremony Molding Exhibition; served as a judge for prefectural exhibitions.