Ibe Kiku-mon Tea Bowl

This is an Ibe chrysanthemum-pattern tea bowl by Sozan Kaneshige, a renowned Bizen master who began his career as an assistant to his brother, the legendary potter Toyo Kaneshige. The box is inscribed "Ibe," indicating that this piece was created during his later years, after he had moved his base of operations to Ushigamishita, where he built a new kiln. It is a magnificent, meticulously crafted masterpiece that seems to challenge the very nature of what a tea bowl should be in Bizen ware. Fired in the hottest part of the kiln, the bowl is coated in a smooth, glass-like *goma* (ash glaze) as if it were enameled. This was Sozan Kaneshige’s answer to tea ceramics and tea practitioners; he pursued a pleasant mouthfeel and a smooth texture, resulting in a finish that makes you never want to put the bowl down. The gently triangular form, matching his potter's mark, is the epitome of the "Sozanism," and the generous, majestic shape makes you feel as though you are being cradled by the bowl itself as you hold it. Although the bowl features abundant decoration using *herame* (spatula marks) and *kushime* (comb patterns), the nobility of the clay and firing keeps it looking entirely natural. The interior, with its strong wheel marks, captures the *wabi* spirit simply through the movement of the tea. Signed wooden box, double-boxed (with square-cut corners)
Diameter 11.7cm × Diameter 11.0cm × Height 9.0cm Sozan Kaneshige (1909–1995) was the younger brother of Living National Treasure Toyo Kaneshige, and the two worked together until around 1951. He was highly regarded as a leading figure in tea ceramics, specializing in Momoyama-style *hidasuki* (fire-cord) patterns. In 1964, he built the Maruyama kiln on the eastern outskirts of Okayama City, and in 1966, he created a sensation by unveiling Momoyama-style *hidasuki* pieces created in an electric kiln. He moved to Ibe in 1982 to build the Ushigamishita kiln, and in 1983, he was designated a holder of an Important Intangible Cultural Property by Okayama Prefecture. He received the Commissioner for Cultural Affairs Award, the Okayama Prefectural Cultural Award, and the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Fourth Class, Gold Rays with Rosette. He passed away in 1995.