Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art (75)

Sake Flask, "tokkuri," Meiji Era (1868-1912) from Mashiko, Tochigi Prefecture. H.10", Body Dia.6". This early Mashiko ware shows the "tobi kanna" technique of chatter marking around the body. In Meiji-era Mashiko, this patterned flask was called a "matsu-kawa-tokkuri" (pine-skin-tokkuri.) A rich, dark brown glaze decorates the neck. Similar wares were also produced around the same time in Fukushima Prefecture...

This water jar, "mizugame," stands 60cm (23.5") high with a mouth diameter of 55cm (21.5".) The rich brown glaze is decorated front and back with freely poured ladle splashes of black slip. A band of 5 incised lines runs about 7cm below the rim of the jar. The decoration is similar to Tamba wares at first glance, but a look at the unglazed bottom reveals not the red clay of Tamba, but a yellowish-light brown clay from Seto or elsewhere...

A pair of Imari ware soba choko (soba noodle dipping cups) from the mid-Edo Period (1600-1868,) porcelain with underglaze cobalt blue painted design of "tampopo" (dandelion) and "cho cho" (butterflies.) H.6cm, Dia. 8.5cm. Each cup has the dandelion pattern on front, and butterflies on back. The painting on these cups is wonderfully playful, and a fine example of the stylized brushstrokes of mingei (folk) wares...