Bizen-ware katatsuki tea caddy

This is a Bizen tea caddy by the master craftsman Mitsuru Isezaki, a man who loved Bizen ware and contributed greatly to Bizen. It is an exceptional tea caddy in both form and scenery, having been fired in one of the choicest spots within the kiln. It showcases the distinctive characteristics of the dove-gray *kannon-do* clay that Master Isezaki favored, and its soft, peach-like pink coloration stands out with unique brilliance even among Bizen wares. The vivid gray ash glaze transitions into yellow sesame-seed speckling, which complements the smart, slender form of the body perfectly. Signed wooden box (includes tea caddy lid, tea caddy bag, and replacement bag)
Diameter 6.6cm x Diameter 6.4cm x Height 8.8cm Master Mitsuru Isezaki was born in 1934 as the eldest son of the Intangible Cultural Property holder Yozan Isezaki. He learned pottery techniques from his father from a young age and majored in sculpture in the Special Art Course at Okayama University. As an authentic creator of tea ceramics, he pursued Momoyama-style forms, clay textures, and firing techniques. Depending on the work, he utilized both climbing kilns and medieval-style anagama kilns, strictly adhering to firing with pine wood and eschewing electric or gas kilns. He became a full member of the Japan Kōgei Association in 1964 and received the Toyo Kaneshige Prize in 1974. In 1994, he received the Sanyo Shimbun Cultural Merit Award, and in 1998, the 15th Tanabe Museum of Art Grand Prize. In March of that same year, he was designated as a Prefectural Important Intangible Cultural Property holder. He passed away in August 2011 at the age of 77.
Awards: Recipient of numerous honors, including the Toyo Kaneshige Prize, Okayama Prefectural Cultural Encouragement Award, Sanyo Shimbun Award, Okayama Nichinichi Shimbun Art and Culture Merit Award, and the Grand Prize at the Tea Ceremony Art Exhibition; invited exhibitor at prefectural exhibitions.