Tokkuri / Bizen / Mori Togaku
Rare 1963 Bizen Tokkuri by Mori Togaku
Bizen potter Mori Togaku(1937-) is already a living legend here in Japan. Born into the famed Mori family, he built his first kiln while still in elementary school. Now, an Okayama Prefectural Intangible Cultural Property, he is working on the finishing stages of his 90 meter anagama! Yes, check that length again. He plans to fire that kiln in 2008. An article about Mori can be read in DARUMA magazine issue 19. Here is a very rare first firing- hatsugama tokkuri that dates to 1963. Mori sent me a postcard confirming this. The tokkuri has quite interesting keshiki-landscapes unlike any I've ever seen. White goma on the shoulders, crusty ash build-up on the back, with sunset oranges on the front balance out the strong body with its elongated neck. Perfect condition, signed box, 'Bizen tokkuri, hatsu-gama, tokkuri, Togaku.' 13.3cm.tall and 8.1cm.across. Another rare piece. Mori's work is in the Metropolitan Museum in New York City as well as regional and national museums in Japan.
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