Tokkuri /
Agano Willow Tokkuri- Mid 19th C.
What a wonderful example of mingei or folk crafts from the Agano kilns. An exact piece is in the Kumamoto Folkcraft Museum and there's a picture of it in 'Famous Kilns of Japan--Folk KilnsII' on page 33 (please see photo 7 here). The description in the back of the book reads, 'sake bottle, trailed willow design.....This superb piece came out of an extremely oxidized firing. It's lustrous brown glaze has a superbly trailed in slip of two willow branches.' The Agano vase is quite calm and confident in its character. Not many making Agano these days; almost too bad that Gen Kozuru left there and went to the US. He was a master of glazes, still is I imagine, but they took a brighter, gaudier turn in the US. Agano is a quiet folk craft ware that came into the spotlight after Tea master Kobori Enshu (1575-1647) took the style under his wing and designated it as one of his 'Seven kilns.' This piece has been masterfully repaired at the lip in one spot and I don't think any one would be able to tell if not told. Part of the process of making the piece was dipping it in a vat; the place where the potter gripped the piece is clearly seen in the finger impressions around the base; this is called yubi-ato. Slight kamakizu-kiln crack on base (please see photo 5), 26.9cm.tall and 12.5cm.wide. Quite rare.
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS
