Collectibles Corner – Showcasing and discussing everything collectible.

[Rei-gyoku]

Hello potters.

Gerry glad to know you liked the Bizen Gallery Aoyama page.
Today I also found where they have a movie showing how Bizen pottery is made.
Although the explanation is in Japanese, I think you get a good idea how it's done.
I have never seen clay being dug out like that.
Works with REAL PLAYER, click on the Blue characters by numbers 1 to 6.

http://www.city.bizen.okayama.jp/bizenyaki/video/index.jsp

I'm not sure when I can take pictures of my mothers stuff.  Okayama is a bit far for a weekend visit.
I will start with what I have.

A coffee cup.  This I don't own.  It was given away to a friend as a thank you gift from my mother.


same cup different angle.  Shows close-up of the saucer.
I think they put a net over the saucer and pressed when making it.

7
It has the HIDASUKI; red stripes made from the rice straw wrapped around in the kiln.

Jimmy,
My mother is aging and is not able to maintain things as before.
My sister and I are not very happy that our mother is very MATERIAL.
I don't know how many guinomi (sake cups) she has, and she is not even wealthy.

Rei-g

[Rei-gyoku]

Left is guinomi(large sake cup) right is a regular teacup for greentea, these are for my daily use.
I don't drink so in reality they are both teacups.

Don't forget to look at them from the bottom.


Rei-g

[Rei-gyoku]

A small (7inch) flower vase.
Not bad but not really good, either.  You can tell it is rather plain looking.


One good thing with Bizen is that it goes good with any flowers.
Flowers put into Bizen vase are said to last longer than other vases.
Rei-g

[gnash]

hi rei-g --- thanks for posting those pics, the bizen looks really nice, i especially like the guinomi, sake cup -- it looks like it would fit well in a person's hands. the slash mark near the bottom is nice too. little things like that, what some might call imperfections, are the best...!

i love how in the tea ceremony, part of the ritual is to admire the cup you are holding... what a nice gesture, something we often overlook in our every day lives when we drink coffee (well, some do) out of styrofoam cups or generic looking mugs.  the bottom of the coffee cup has a very unusual bottom, which is appealing -- it looks flared out or something. what a wonderful gift it makes.

the anectdote about flowers lasting longer in bizen pottery -- i wonder that's really true? you'll have to do a test for us

hmm, can't see the videos because i'm on dial up, but i'll find a computer with high speed and take a look.

sorry to hear about your mother... my own mom has alzheimers now, but luckily she still appreciates beauty and love. she is fond of flowers, often rushing to smell them, so that's good, i think. perhaps your mother's attachement to her sake cups could be seen as an appreciation for the arts.

all this japanese pottery is making me want to create something out of high-fire clay again, i really enjoy working with the stuff as it really embodies the essence of earth and fire, with minerals baked by heat to create beautiful patterns. you know i like small things by now, hamsters among them. here is a dwarf hamster house of high fire ceramic -- it has a sort of japanese pottery feel with the rustic finish. the "pool" of water on the roof is blue bottle glass melted into the glaze (for placing little treats, like edamame) the "twigs" are ceramic too. i can't tell you how cute it is to see a pink nose poking out of the little holes. LOL....  i have a few of these.

       

[Rei-gyoku]

slash mark near the bottom is nice too. little things like that, what some might call imperfections, are the best...!

the anectdote about flowers lasting longer in bizen pottery -- i wonder that's really true? you'll have to do a test for us

 here is a dwarf hamster house of high fire ceramic -- it has a sort of japanese pottery feel with the rustic finish. the "pool" of water on the roof is blue bottle glass melted into the glaze (for placing little treats, like edamame) the "twigs" are ceramic too. i can't tell you how cute it is to see a pink nose poking out of the little holes. LOL....  i have a few of these.

Jimmy
Thank you for the compliments on my cups.
The slash marks on the bottom are signature marks that enables you to identify the potter.

So you don't buy what's been said for 1000years?
What I heard is that since bizen is not glazed, water "breathes".
Nowadays bizen turned into such sophisticated pieces of expensive pottery,
but in the old days they were for daily use especially as jugs to keep water before they had water service.

It is also said that:
Sake kept in bizen will taste better
Beer will make more smooth creamy foam when poured into a bizen mug
Water will stay fresh

Yeah, an experiment would be fun.  When it gets cooler I might try.
Now it's too warm to keep flowers in any vases.
---

Your hamster house is adorable!!
Just imagine one of your hammies munching on edamame.. soooooo cute it must be.

I hope your mom continues to enjoy the beautiful things in life.
Alzheimer's sometimes enables the person to concentrate on the essentials.
My grandma had it.  It was painful to hear "Who are you?" from her.  But at the same time
I could tell she was happy to see me and that was important.

Will post some more pictures.

Rei-g

[Rei-gyoku]

Just a few more pictures.


My grandpa's small Bizen kettle.  7inches high and very light. 

The freckles.

It's wooden box is dated back from Year 22 of Showa (1947).
My mother said, "People must have been still hungry then.
Getting stuff like this back then (with 6 kids), no wonder mom was always complaining!"
Looks like my grandpa was a collector alright.
 

Rei-g

[Rei-gyoku]

This is a YUSAMASHI (water cooling container).
Boiling hot water is not used for good quality leaf greentea.
Hot water is put in here to let the temperature come down (to about 150 degF)
before pouring in the teapot.


It has glass-glaze like drops.  You don't see much of this with bizen.
Small, holds only half cup of water.
I put salad dressings/sauce in it.  Can be used as as small bowl.
Rei-g

[cabin]

. . . here's a pic of one astrology plate by royal doulton,

     "we shape clay into a pot, but it is the emptiness inside that holds whatever we want."    -- tao te ching
 

jimmy, very interestrong RD plate series, eventhough they are on the small side for chargers, as you suggested, they could be used as a salad bowl charger by placing a clear glass bowl with salad on them.  When you remove the salad, you remove it by lifting the charger away.
I have something similar but can't remember the name.  I'll pull a couple out and post pics.


btw, I love the quote.

A coffee cup.  This I don't own.  It was given away to a friend as a thank you gift from my mother.

same cup different angle.  Shows close-up of the saucer.
I think they put a net over the saucer and pressed when making it.
7
It has the HIDASUKI; red stripes made from the rice straw wrapped around in the kiln.

Rei-g, Was wondering how they made those crosshatches (if that's what it is called) ... very interesting.

This is a YUSAMASHI (water cooling container).
Boiling hot water is not used for good quality leaf greentea.
Hot water is put in here to let the temperature come down (to about 150 degF)
before pouring in the teapot.


I put salad dressings/sauce in it.  Can be used as as small bowl

Good idea on salad dressings.

[cabin]

OK, finally with camera in hand, I've taken a couple of pics of 1 of the large bowls of Mashiko pottery . . . (I'll post other pics later -- mostly plates, cups, bowls, pitchers, even a lamp)

This bowl, 1 of 2 measures approximately 12 inches across and 6 inches high.

[Rei-gyoku]

OK, finally with camera in hand, I've taken a couple of pics of 1 of the large bowls of Mashiko pottery . . . (I'll post other pics later -- mostly plates, cups, bowls, pitchers, even a lamp)

This bowl, 1 of 2 measures approximately 12 inches across and 6 inches high.

Gerry,
Nice piece of Mashiko, a good size one, too.
I like that color.  We call that ame-iro(candy, carmel color).
Have you had this for long now?
Looking forward to seeing your other pieces too.

Rei-g

[cabin]

Rei-g -- they are beautiful pieces and I'll post more pics this weekend.

These were ordered directly from Takao Sakuma when my Jack and an Air Force buddy were in Mashiko looking for Shoji Hamada in 1959.  A gentleman advised that he was not in and then proceeded to give them a tour.  They were each given a beautiful plate with a japanese letter on itl  It's like a very flat bowl (see below).  The gentleman referred them to the kilns across the path and Jack met with Takao Sakuma, a potter and proceeded to request what he wanted made.

Now, Hamada's protoge was Totaro Sakuma who had kilns there also.  So I'm confused who Takao Sakuma is.  Any idea?  Also, any idea on the letter on this piece... please don't tell me I've put it upside down lol.


   

[Rei-gyoku]

Now, Hamada's protoge was Totaro Sakuma who had kilns there also.  So I'm confused who Takao Sakuma is.  Any idea?  Also, any idea on the letter on this piece... please don't tell me I've put it upside down lol.

Hi, Gerry,
I have not been able to locate the name Takao Sakuma either.  He could have been one of Totaro's family members.
I did find an article of Totaro, though.
In fact this e-yakimono.net is quite informative.
http://www.e-yakimono.net/html/sakuma-totaro-jt.html

I am afraid the design on your Mashiko dish is not a letter/writing.
When I looked at it, I immediately thought of common spiderwort.

I also found a picture of a Mashiko vase with similar design and it said "Grass pattern".

I would imagine yours is also a design of some kind of a plant.
I am sure any Mashiko fan would love to own a Totaro's piece.

Rei-g 

[Rei-gyoku]

Back to feathers, away from pottery a little bit.
I brought in the Minerals.


Rei-g

[cabin]

Rei-g:

Thanks for the information on the "grass" design.  Also now have to look for the connection between the 2 different names.

Can't see your pics at work, so I'll take a look at them later this evening.

Good night and careful with those earthquakes. 

[cabin]

Hi, Gerry,
 . . . When I looked at it, I immediately thought of common spiderwort.
I also found a picture of a Mashiko vase with similar design and it said "Grass pattern".
I would imagine yours is also a design of some kind of a plant.
Rei-g 

Took the liberty of putting the pics side by side and one can really see the design. 
Thanks for the information.