This is a pair of Shino meoto yunomi, a larger and a smaller teacup traditionally made as a set for a couple, by the Mino potter Ichiyo Nakajima. The tomobako (the wooden box signed by the artist) bears the ink inscription "Shino Meoto Yunomi" together with the artist's signature, "Ichiyo," and his red seal, and the seal "Ichiyo" is also stamped on each of the two wrapping cloths. A shiori (the artist's biographical leaflet) accompanies the set. Our shop proposes these teacups as Japanese-style rocks glasses for savoring aged spirits and whisky.
Nakajima is said to have been born in 1949 (Showa 24). According to the accompanying leaflet, he opened his kiln in Kujiri, Izumi-cho, Toki City, Gifu Prefecture, in March 1975 (Showa 50). In June 1985 (Showa 60), he built a studio in Toki City's Pottery Village, and in August 1989 (Heisei 1), he built an anagama kiln. This kiln was named "Takaneyama-shita Kiln" by the Reverend Tachibana Sogi, chief priest of Tokuzen-ji, a branch temple of Daitoku-ji. After opening his kiln, he was selected three times for the Issuikai Ceramics Exhibition and received a prize in the Minister of Education Division of the Japan Flower Vase and Tea Utensil Art Exhibition (known as the Nichigei-ten). He held solo exhibitions at department stores including the Nagoya Mitsukoshi Sakae main store, the Hanshin Department Store main store, Mitsukoshi Ikebukuro, the Keio Department Store Shinjuku main store, and Kintetsu Department Store Abeno, as well as at the Nomura Art Museum in Kyoto.
In the same leaflet, Nakajima notes that Shino, along with Ki-Seto and Oribe, was born in the kilns of Mino during the Momoyama period. He cites the generously applied glaze, the hi-iro (fire color) characteristic of Shino, and the distinctive character of Nezumi-Shino, in which oniita (iron oxide) is applied beneath the glaze. He then states that the aim of his work is to pursue the fresh sensibility and expression of his own time while standing on the tradition of Mino ceramics. Of his works, he writes that he attends to every single stroke of the spatula, carefully selects his glazes, and devotes everything to the firing.
These teacups clearly show those characteristics of Shino. The thick white Shino glaze is tinged overall with pale pink to rose, and countless small pores known as yuzu-hada (citron skin) are scattered across the surface, with red color showing at the bottom of each pore. Fine crazing runs throughout the glaze. Gray-blue patterns resembling brushstrokes emerge on the body, with dark brown spots appearing along their edges. The form is basically cylindrical, with facets and distortions on the body that look as if pressed with a spatula, and the thick rim undulates gently. The two cups differ not only in size but also in the placement of their patterns and in the character of their distortions.
The low foot rings are carved out, and the unglazed clay has fired to orange and reddish brown, with three pale yellow round marks visible. An incised mark cut with a spatula appears beside the foot ring. On both cups, small areas of bare clay are visible near the base of the body. The interiors are also covered with Shino glaze, and fine crazing and small iron specks can be seen on the pale pink glazed surface. As the technique used for the patterns and the type of kiln in which the cups were fired cannot be determined with certainty from external appearance, we refrain from stating them.
The period of production has been estimated from the accompanying leaflet. The final entry in the leaflet's chronology is the building of the anagama kiln in August 1989 (Heisei 1), so the leaflet can be judged to have been produced after that date. As these cups have been passed down together with the leaflet, we estimate that they were made between August 1989 and the 1990s.
- Artist: Ichiyo Nakajima (said to have been born in 1949)
- Selected Career Highlights: [1975] Opened his kiln in Kujiri, Izumi-cho, Toki City, Gifu Prefecture; [After 1975] Selected three times for the Issuikai Ceramics Exhibition; received a prize in the Minister of Education Division of the Japan Flower Vase and Tea Utensil Art Exhibition (Nichigei-ten); solo exhibitions at the Nagoya Mitsukoshi Sakae main store, the Hanshin Department Store main store, Mitsukoshi Ikebukuro, the Keio Department Store Shinjuku main store, Kintetsu Department Store Abeno, the Nomura Art Museum in Kyoto, and elsewhere; [1985] Built a studio in Toki City's Pottery Village; [1989] Built an anagama kiln, named "Takaneyama-shita Kiln" by the Reverend Tachibana Sogi, chief priest of Tokuzen-ji, a branch temple of Daitoku-ji
- Period of Production: c. 1989 to the 1990s (estimated)
- Condition: Very good (no chips, no cracks)
- Accessories: Tomobako (wooden box signed by the artist), wrapping cloths (2), and shiori (biographical leaflet) included
- Material: Stoneware (Shino)
- Dimensions: Large: Height approx. 9.0 cm, Rim diameter approx. 8.5 cm / Small: Height approx. 8.5 cm, Rim diameter approx. 8.0 cm
- Notice: All items offered by our shop, even those that are new and unused, were produced a very long time ago and are therefore listed as pre-owned. Items may show age-related wear or damage. Please understand this and review the details carefully before deciding to purchase.
