This porcelain vessel with lid, titled "Form of Tsuchinoto-Ne" (Boshi no Katachi), is crafted by Shigekazu Nagae, a top runner in modern Japanese ceramic art whose works are housed in major museums worldwide, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Victoria and Albert Museum. Born in 1953 in Seto City, Aichi Prefecture, he sublimated industrial slip-casting techniques into artistic porcelain sculptures, sweeping major domestic and international ceramic awards such as the Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition Grand Prix, the International Ceramics Competition Mino Grand Prix, and the Grand Prix at the Nyon International Porcelain Triennial in Switzerland. Featuring a striking contrast between silky white porcelain polished to a matte finish and translucent pale-blue celadon glaze lining the interior, this work was originally created as an incensory (kogo), a refined tea ceremony vessel. However, removing the lid transforms it into a sake vessel with a beautiful profile, presenting a special lifestyle proposition to global connoisseurs as a covered Japanese shot glass that quietly seals in aromas to luxuriously savor matured whisky or rare aged sake.
Examining the fine details of this piece reveals Shigekazu Nagae's signature mastery—the precise control of heat and gravity—alongside an exceptionally refined sculpting beauty displayed without reserve. Created with inspiration drawn from Tsuchinoto-Ne (Rat), the zodiac sign for 2008, the top of the lid features an organic, charmingly rounded three-dimensional sculpture evocative of a rat standing on a quiet water surface, with a delicate tail line extending smoothly backward acting as a refined accent. The entire body of the vessel also assumes a soft roundness in harmony with the charming form of the rat, while the exterior white porcelain surface, finished with meticulous hand-sanding, exhibits a graceful matte texture that softly absorbs light. Meanwhile, the interior of the vessel and the concave areas of the lid are filled with rich, nuanced pale-blue celadon glaze reminiscent of a clear blue sky, casting a captivating deep blue gradation at the bottom. On the underside, the artist's handwritten signature "戊子" (Tsuchinoto-Ne) is inscribed in blue, achieving a high-level harmony between sculptural perfection and functional utility.
Regarding the period of production, it can be objectively specified as created in 2007 based on its nature as a zodiac artwork themed after "Tsuchinoto-Ne" (Year of the Rat 2008, corresponding in the 60-year sexagenary cycle) alongside the artist's production cycle of crafting zodiac pieces in the preceding year. Eschewing mass production, Mr. Nagae's small-scale works—individually brought forth through advanced mold-forming, multi-stage hand polishing, and deformation control during firing—possess extraordinary scarcity value in the international art market. The vessel body itself shows no damage such as chips or cracks, maintaining excellent condition in both the texture of the white porcelain and the coloration of the celadon glaze. It comes complete with a dedicated original box (Tomobako) bearing the artist's handwritten calligraphy and red seal, a wrapping cloth (fukusa), and an instructional leaflet (shiori) detailing the creative background.
- Artist: Shigekazu Nagae (b. 1953)
- Artist's Key Activities: [1979/1986] Grand Prix at Chunichi International Ceramic Art Exhibition; [1992] Grand Prix at Asahi Ceramic Art Exhibition; [1997] Grand Prix and Prince Katsura Prize at the 14th Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition; [1998] Grand Prix at the 5th International Ceramics Competition Mino, Grand Prix (Prix Poisson d'Or) at the 5th Nyon International Porcelain Triennial in Switzerland; [2004] Received Aichi Prefectural Arts and Culture Encouragement Award
- Works Housed In: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Victoria and Albert Museum, Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), National Museum of Sèvres, Ariana Museum, National Gallery of Australia, Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, Aichi Prefectural Ceramic Museum, Museum of Modern Ceramic Art Gifu, among many others
- Period of Production: Made in 2007
- Condition: Good (no chips, no cracks)
- Accessories: Dedicated original box (Tomobako), wrapping cloth, and instructional leaflet (Shiori) included
- Material: Porcelain (pale-blue celadon glaze, matte white porcelain)
- Dimensions: Height approx. 6.0 cm, Width approx. 6.8 cm
- Caution: All products offered by our shop are listed as pre-owned items due to their historical production period, even if unused. Products may have age-related damage, so please consider purchasing after understanding and verifying these condition details.
