A Nezumi Shino chawan, by Katô Tôkurô (1897-1985). Nagoya. Around 1982/1985
Of large and typical Shino shape with undulating rim, the rough cream-coloured body covered by a white porous glaze partly burned reddish brown and decorated with five kikkô patterns in white underneath the glaze and vertical lines to the other side. At the base incised mark Gen. Original double wooden box, the proper box with inscription on the lid reading Shino chawan, signed Gen and sealed Tô, the inscription to the side reading Shino chawan Tôkurô saku Shigetaka kan and sealed Shige. White damask wrapping cloth. Furoshiki.
Height 9.3 cm; diameter 13.8 cm
The inscription to the side of the box is an attestation by Katô Shigetaka (1927-2013), third son of Katô Tôkurô and poptter in Nagoya.
Kato Tokuro was born the eldest son of Seto potter Kanô Sôjirô in Mizuno, Aichi Prefecture, but after his wedding he took on the family name of his wife. He devoted himself to surveying the old Seto kilns and researching traditional Seto techniques, allowing him to reproduce Shino and Oribe ware. In 1930, he qualified for the Art Aichi Society Exhibition and began associating himself with fellow promoters of folk-art movements, such as Yanagi Muneyoshi, Kawai Kanjirô, and Hamada Shoji. After the Einin Pot Scandal of 1960 he devoted himself to the free pursuit of ceramics as an unaffiliated potter. In 1961, he was bestowed the pen name Ichimusai by poet Hattori Tanpu, after which he signed works Ichimusai or Ichimu.
Provenance
Collection Vollmer-Bergmann, Berlin
Literature
Ill. in: Gudrun Schmidt-Esters (ed.), Momoyama-Keramik und ihr Einfluss auf die Gegenwart, exhibition catalogue, Stiftung Keramion, Frechen 2011, no. 180
Exhibitions
Momoyama-Keramik und ihr Einfluss auf die Gegenwart, exhibition, Stiftung Keramion, Frechen, 22.5.-11.9.2011