Show Off Your Pots and Cups VIII

[Chip]

Chip, I don't particularly like Kenji's Nerikomis on AN, but I really like that one! I like how the yellow is more subtle and kind of fades into black on the other side.

I'm starting to think more highly of Kenji. His pots sound amazing. How do they compare to Hokujo's? I'm contemplating stepping up my game for shincha, and getting a good kyusu.

The fade is due to deox firing I am told. I am very fond of the one on the site I already have,
the black/red one above. The pieces are really top notch and the functional details set them apart from many others.
The "yellow" one above was a special order which I am sure he would be happy to locate another for you.
You can mention my name as a reference to the kyusu.

I do not have any Hokujo's, a very prolific maker of Tokoname. I like the rustic nature of his pieces.
I will surely one one or more hopefully more sooner than later.

I guess it just depends on what you want. They are both high quality craftsman. One is much more contemporary,
the other more rustic.

[JustinW]

Also arrived yesterday from Japan.

Natsume for holding matcha during the Japanese tea ceremony, complete with Momiji (Japanese Maple) leaves
floating on a sinuous, swirling stream. Considering the prices I am seeing these things going for,
they are extremely collectable. This is as modest as they come, but I had to start somewhere.

Browsing AN I saw the one with the tree, and thought "ooo that's nice", then "wohhhhhhh not 400 dollars nice!"

[Chip]

Also arrived yesterday from Japan.

Natsume for holding matcha during the Japanese tea ceremony, complete with Momiji (Japanese Maple) leaves
floating on a sinuous, swirling stream. Considering the prices I am seeing these things going for,
they are extremely collectable. This is as modest as they come, but I had to start somewhere.

Browsing AN I saw the one with the tree, and thought "ooo that's nice", then "wohhhhhhh not 400 dollars nice!"

Yeah Justin, that beauty caught my eye too. I love bonsai, so it had that look that instantly drew my attention to it, then the price. Still, that is far from the most expensive ones I have seen lately.

[olivierco]

Also arrived yesterday from Japan.

Natsume for holding matcha during the Japanese tea ceremony, complete with Momiji (Japanese Maple) leaves
floating on a sinuous, swirling stream. Considering the prices I am seeing these things going for,
they are extremely collectable. This is as modest as they come, but I had to start somewhere.

Well I guess now you now have to find a nice matching chashaku!

[rjiwrth]

And here is my new Kamjove. The pour is ridiculously good, it has a nice quick boil, and most importantly, it fits into my scheme perfectly.

[/quote]

WOW. May I ask where you got your Kamjove and which one it is? Please? I want want it

Rebecca

[Victoria]

I'm in the market for one too - nice!

[chamekke]

Chip: sweet natsume!

A couple of things about the design. Because it has sakura (cherry blossoms) as well as momiji (maple leaves), it can be considered a "multi-season" natsume. In other words, if you were in a traditional tearoom, you would be able to bring it out in any of the four seasons without offending against convention. Or at least, this is how it works with kimono that have these designs, so I'm fairly sure it would be true in the tearoom as well.

Also, the wheel motif is a Heian one called katawaguruma. It depicts the wheels of a royal cart, which were traditionally stored in a stream to avoid drying out. So these wheels are always shown half submerged, with water flowing swiftly around them. The katawaguruma design is often worn on summer kimono because images of water, especially flowing water, are felt to be cooling. There's an example here (on Wikipedia Commons) of a box with that design in gold lacquer and raden (mother-of-pearl).

[Chip]

Thank you for all of the information Chamekke! It is good to know the significance of all the little details of pieces we own.

I was really wondering about the wheel, good to know it has some royal significance,
for a while I thought it was just thrown in there for no real reason at all. I should have known better.

[chamekke]

I really love the katawaguruma design, and have it on several items (both tea- and kimono-related). Somehow it's very... refreshing. Plus it's a really ancient design. That piece whose photo I linked to in the previous note is called the Katawaguruma-tebako and indeed dates from the Heian period; it's in the Tokyo National Museum, and is staggeringly famous.



Incidentally, according to the Asian Horror Encyclopedia by Laurence C. Bush, katawaguruma is also a "Japanese female ghost distinguished by moving from place to place as a wheel of flame." Isn't Google wonderful?

[Chip]

... you are the Googler! Sounds like a modern day replacement for the Riddler,
"google me this Batman, when is a katawaguruma not a wet wheel depicted in Japanese artifacts?"

Wow, so my little humble natsume depicts so much historicity and symbolism! Awesome.

[Salsero]

Wow, is that beautiful!

[chamekke]

Tom, that gaiwan is amazing - so much character and visual interest! I particularly like the facial expression of the little guy on the lid

[kymidwife]

Isn't that Dumbledore in the yellow robe?

Sarah