Bizen sake cup

This is a Bizen sake cup by the great Toyo Kaneshige, the first-generation Living National Treasure and the restorer of Bizen ware. Based on the box inscription and other details, this piece is believed to have been created around 1963, when Toyo Kaneshige was 67 years old. Master Toyo was known for using exceptionally high-quality clay for his hidaski (fire-cord) works, and this piece features a moist, smooth clay texture; the soft, skin-like quality—only possible with the finest clay—makes the experience of drinking even more intoxicating. The hidaski, fired in a climbing kiln, has a superb, refined depth, with rich crimson fire-cords draped over a wheat-colored surface. White sesame-like spots, created by the straw melting during firing, are scattered near the rim and the base, providing a magnificent accent amidst the interplay of wheat and crimson hues. In terms of form, while Master Toyo’s works are often characterized by a dignified style, this piece is filled with a sense of playful spirit; it features a unique, unconventional shape that seems to slide sideways, like a bamboo shoot reaching upward. Its stance is as if the clay itself is dancing, making it a charming exception among the otherwise rigorous works of Toyo Kaneshige. Original box (two-way braced, double box)
Diameter 6.3cm x Diameter 6.3cm x Height 6.5cm

If you prefer to pay by credit card, the transaction will need to be processed in multiple installments, so please consult with us. Toyo Kaneshige (1896–1967, born in Inbe, Bizen City) was born the eldest son of Baiyo Kaneshige, from a branch of the Kaneshige family, one of the six traditional Bizen pottery families. He studied under his father and first gained fame for his handmade tea pots (hohin). From the Taisho period through the early Showa period, he conducted extensive research and succeeded in reproducing the clay texture of Momoyama-period Bizen ware. Around that time, he began using a potter’s wheel and dedicated himself to creating tea ceremony ceramics. He deepened his friendships with Handeishi Kawakita, Toyozo Arakawa, and Kyusetsu Miwa, and after the war, he expanded his artistic range under the influence of Rosanjin Kitaoji and Isamu Noguchi. Because of these achievements, he is known as the restorer of Bizen ware. He was the first Bizen potter to be designated a holder of an Important Intangible Cultural Property, and in 1964 and 1966, he was invited as a summer lecturer at the University of Hawaii. In 1967, he performed a pottery demonstration before the Showa Emperor and Empress during their visit to Bizen.
Major awards: Chugoku Cultural Award, Sanyo Shimbun Award, Okayama Prefecture Cultural Award, Medal with Purple Ribbon, Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette.