This is an extremely avant-garde and modern hand-blown glass sake cup by Denji Takeuchi, a master who supported the dawn of modern Japanese glass craftsmanship and whose works are permanently preserved in major museums both in Japan and abroad. Reminiscent of traditional horseback sake cups or footed vessels, its organic form with a constriction in the center fits comfortably in the hand. We proudly present this as a premium Japanese craft shot glass for slowly enjoying aged sake that has matured into a rich amber color over time, or carefully selected single malt whiskey straight. The unique wide-opening proportion instantly releases the rich aroma of the poured liquor, and when held, it directly conveys the smooth texture and pleasant weight unique to hand-blown glass. With an overwhelming presence as a work of art, this piece, which integrates Japanese aesthetics into a modern luxurious space, will create a luxurious time for entertaining international collectors and special guests at the highest level.
The artist, Denji Takeuchi, was born in Onoda City, Yamaguchi Prefecture in 1934. While leading Japanese in-house design as the design representative for Sasaki Glass Co., Ltd., a top Japanese glass manufacturer, he also honed his international artistic sensibility by staying in New York and Hamburg from the 1960s. He achieved brilliant results on major stages both domestically and internationally, including winning the gold prize at the International Applied Arts Exhibition in Utrecht, the Netherlands, winning the Spanish International Grand Prize three times at the Valencia Design Competition in Spain, receiving the Kitaro Kunii Industrial Arts Award, and being selected for an exhibition hosted by the Corning Museum of Glass in the United States, the highest authority in the global glass world. His extraordinary sense of form has been widely and publicly recognized, and his works are permanently preserved in the public collections of modern art museums around the world, including the National Crafts Museum of Japan, the Victoria and Albert Museum in the UK, and the Toledo Museum of Art in the US. Since his sudden death in 2001, new supplies have completely ceased, making these valuable vintage pieces by a deceased artist. Complete items with their dedicated boxes that circulate in the market have extremely high rarity and asset value.
One of the most highly acclaimed elements of Denji Takeuchi's work, as noted in public records, is the fusion of transparent and black, and the three-dimensional color expression achieved through his exceptional hot-work technique. As can be seen in the accompanying images, this piece perfectly embodies his signature design. The heavy black glass covering the top of the vessel, the vibrant opaque turquoise green at the bottom, and the overwhelmingly transparent glass connecting them in the center create a magnificent contrast. Furthermore, at the boundary between the upper and lower colors, a bold band of heavy gold leaf, with fine crack-like textures created by baking and stretching gold foil onto the glass surface, is arranged, radiating a metallic shine when illuminated. In the constricted central part, an advanced inclusion technique is used, where vibrant colored glass pieces in pink, blue, purple, and other hues are fluidly encased within layers of transparent glass. When viewed from above, the amber liquid of aged sake, the internal colors, and the green at the bottom resonate beautifully like a kaleidoscope. The bottom is engraved with the artist's own hand-carved signature "Denji," and along with the signature and seal on the lid of the dedicated box, it is an item in perfect condition with complete material evidence proving its authenticity.
- Artist: Denji Takeuchi (1934-2001)
- Artist's Major Career Highlights: [1934] Born in Onoda City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, [1958] Joined Sasaki Glass Co., Ltd. and served as design representative and director, [1962] Stayed in New York, [1968] Won a gold prize at the International Applied Arts Exhibition in Utrecht, Netherlands, and stayed in Hamburg, [1978] Won the Spanish International Grand Prize at the Valencia Design Competition in Spain (also in '81 and '87), [1979] Received the Kitaro Kunii Industrial Arts Award and was selected for the "New Glass" exhibition hosted by the Corning Museum of Glass in the US, [1987] Held a joint exhibition with Kyohei Fujita and others in Paris, [1991] Began glass production in Venice, Italy, [1994] Received the Award of Excellence in the Arts and Culture category from Onoda City, [2001] Passed away on July 16 at the age of 67
- Works in Collection: National Crafts Museum (Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art), Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art, Notojima Glass Museum, Shimonoseki City Art Museum, Corning Museum of Glass (USA), Toledo Museum of Art (USA), Victoria and Albert Museum (UK), Czech Glass Museum, Lausanne Museum of Decorative Arts (Switzerland), etc.
- Period of Production: 1980s-1990s (Works from his mature period, before and after his time in Venice, during which he won numerous grand prizes in domestic and international competitions)
- Product Condition: Very good (no chips, no cracks)
- Accessories: Dedicated paper box, wrapping cloth included
- Material: Hand-blown glass (with gold leaf and embedded colored glass)
- Dimensions: Height approx. 7.2 cm, Mouth diameter approx. 5.0 cm
- Note: Even if new and unused, all products offered by our shop are from a very old production period and are listed as used. Products may have age-related damage, so please consider purchasing after understanding and checking.
