Bizen Kaku Suiteki

This is a Bizen ware square water dropper by the first Okyo Jindo, a master craftsman renowned for his various intricate works and hailed as "Kaeru Jindo" (Frog Jindo). It is a mysterious piece with a pattern that seems somewhat Western-inspired, possessing an atmosphere reminiscent of a mother-of-pearl inlay box. The entire piece has been strongly subjected to reduction firing, resulting in a blue-grey color similar to "Ao-Bizen" (blue Bizen) in some areas, while other parts exhibit gold-like hues, further enhancing the mother-of-pearl-like aesthetic of the work. While many Bizen ware water droppers are animal-shaped or spherical, this piece shines with the exceptional sense of Jindo sensei. Signed wooden storage box (with two-way struts)
5.3cm (D) × 5.0cm (D) × 2.5cm (H) The first Okyo Jindo (1890–1954) studied the techniques of making intricate ceramic crafts in Kyoto toward the end of the Meiji period before returning to Bizen. He enrolled as a first-generation student at the Imbe Pottery School established by Mimura Tokei, where he learned craftsmanship and spatula techniques. He became independent and built his own kiln in 1926. A master of intricate crafts, he was known as "Kaeru Jindo" and left behind masterpieces in the form of bird-and-flower figurines, human figures, and handmade houhin teapots. He was designated as a holder of an Important Intangible Cultural Property of Okayama Prefecture in 1954.