Bizen Hidasuki Tokkuri

This is an exquisite Bizen hidaski sake bottle by Kei Fujiwara, an artist beloved by all for a warm style that radiated both his bold, open-hearted nature and his underlying kindness. It is a hidaski bottle that seems to perfectly embody the simplicity and gentle warmth that Fujiwara himself sought in Bizen ware after his own dreams were broken and he was left wounded. Created by wrapping the piece in straw and firing it inside a vessel, the deeply flavorful, sun-browned clay surface is combined with the unique and intriguing shading of the hidaski flame-markings. The hidaski is rich in variation, appearing almost amber and deeply condensed in darker areas, while shifting to a beige color close to the clay surface within the lines of the straw wrapping. Its rounded form is charming, and combined with the simple, beautiful scenery of the glaze, it is a piece you will never tire of admiring. (*There are areas on the base, rim, and other parts of the hidaski that appear to have boiled and become fused during firing.) Original signed box (two-way cross-piece lid)
Rim 3.5cm × Body diameter 9.4cm × Body diameter 9.3cm × Height 13.5cm Capacity approx. 410cc Kei Fujiwara (1899–1983, born in Honami, Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture) entered the world of Bizen pottery at the suggestion of Atsuo Masamune, a scholar of Japanese literature living in Honami, Bizen.

He received instruction in techniques such as wheel-throwing from Ukeimimura, and from 1941, he learned firing methods and refined his ceramic skills under Toyo Kaneshige, the first Living National Treasure for Bizen ware.

In his creative work, he aspired to the simplicity and boldness seen in Old Bizen ware from the Kamakura and Muromachi periods, establishing a simple, clear, and generous style that did not rely too heavily on technique.

Furthermore, the artistic cultivation he nurtured while aspiring to be a man of literature and poetry in his youth also had a significant influence on his works.

In 1954, he was recognized as a holder of an Important Intangible Cultural Property of Okayama Prefecture, and in 1958, he became a director of the Japan Kōgei Association.

In 1970, he was designated as a holder of a nationally designated Important Intangible Cultural Property, commonly known as a Living National Treasure.

In 1977, the Kei Fujiwara Memorial Museum opened in Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture.

He passed away in 1983.

Major awards and honors: Okayama Prefecture Cultural Award, Sanyo Shimbun Award, Chugoku Cultural Award, Honorary Citizen of Bizen City, Honorary Prefectural Citizen of Okayama, Junior Fifth Rank, Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon, etc.