Bizen kiln-change sake bottle

This is a new Bizen gourd-shaped sake bottle by Makoto Nakamura, the eldest son of the late master Rokuro Nakamura—a legendary Bizen potter celebrated for his sake vessels—and a renowned artisan of sake and tableware in his own right. Drawing on the expertise in sake vessel craftsmanship inherited from his father, he has created this piece in a rustic, flattened gourd shape featuring a magnificent kiln-altered finish. The crisp, ash-covered kiln changes have carbonized into a deep black, and the area from the base to the waist emits a subtle, dull luster that is incredibly striking. The quintessential Nakamura family scarlet hue has been fired through to a refined reddish-brown, which, true to its earthen nature, transforms into an exquisite color when moistened with sake. On one corner of the waist, there is a small area shielded by another object during firing where the ash glaze did not take; this patch of exposed, meltingly soft clay texture serves as a wonderful accent. Signed wooden box (shiho-san) included
Rim 3.9cm × Body 10.1cm × Body 10.0cm × Height 9.6cm; Capacity approx. 270cc Born as the eldest son of Rokuro Nakamura, Makoto Nakamura began learning the fundamentals and honing his technical skills under his father in 1971. Additionally, to master the firing techniques of Living National Treasure Toyo Kaneshige, he spent ten years assisting and receiving instruction under Michiaki Kaneshige. He became independent in 1975. He specializes in tea ceramics and tableware, while also creating flower vases, sake bottles, and sake cups. He holds frequent solo exhibitions across Japan, including in Tokyo, Okayama, and Nagoya.