This piece is a footed glass cup by Kaoru Okawa (1940–2008), who worked at Hokuyo Glass, a glassworks in Aomori Prefecture, while also presenting his own works as an independent artist. The underside of the foot bears a single-character signature incised in cursive script that appears to read “Kaoru” (薫). The amber body, finished with a frosted matte surface, is layered with a white band at the rim and two kinds of foil. Measuring approximately 7 cm in height and 6 cm in rim diameter, it sits comfortably in the hand and is well suited for use as a Japanese-style shot glass for savoring aged spirits a little at a time.
According to his reported biography, Mr. Okawa was born in Niigata Prefecture in 1940, studied craft design at Musashino Art University, and joined Hokuyo Glass in Aomori City in 1964. Hokuyo Glass began in 1949 as a maker of glass fishing floats. Building on the free-blowing (chūbuki) technique developed through float making, the company created Tsugaru Vidro in 1977, a line of handmade glass expressing the four seasons and natural landscapes of Aomori. Tsugaru Vidro was also the first product to be designated a traditional craft of Aomori Prefecture. From 1980 onward, Mr. Okawa presented his work in solo exhibitions and glass exhibitions in various parts of Japan. According to the official records of Aomori Prefecture, he received the 11th Aomori Prefecture Art and Culture Award in the crafts category for fiscal year Showa 60 (1985). He is further reported to have won the Grand Prize in Section 1 of the Tohoku Glass Art Exhibition, sponsored by Asahi Glass, in 1990, and the Asahi Glass Prize at the 1st Japan Glass Art Exhibition in 1991. In 2006 he served as an adviser to the company, and he passed away in 2008.
Mr. Okawa’s style is distinguished by the way he incorporated glassmaking techniques from abroad on a foundation of glassblowing. In particular, his tea ceremony utensils, in which he adapted millefiori, the mosaic glass technique handed down on the Venetian island of Murano, in his own distinctive way, are introduced as representative of his work. He also produced many works on the theme of the natural scenery of the Tsugaru region. This piece does not employ millefiori mosaic decoration. It is an example in which the surface is composed of bands of differently colored glass and two kinds of foil layered one above another, and it demonstrates the breadth of his decorative expression.
The vessel rises from a small foot, its body opening gently upward before turning slightly outward at the rim. The entire surface has a matte finish with subdued luster and is composed of three layers stacked from top to bottom. From the rim to the upper body runs a milky white band, part of which is marked off by a section of silver-tone foil broken into a fine network of cracks. Below it, a band of brownish foil encircles the body, its upper edge breaking off irregularly in a wave-like line that creates a soft undulation along the border with the white band. The lower half of the body is amber glass that deepens toward orange as it nears the foot, and the foot itself is finished in a reddish orange. When light falls on the cup, the whole vessel glows brightly from within, and looking into the interior, the thick foot appears as a deep orange circle floating at the bottom. The underside of the foot is finished flat, and the signature is incised there.
The piece bears no date. It is a work bearing the artist’s signature, made between 1980, when he began presenting his work in solo and glass exhibitions, and his death in 2008. Documentation on Mr. Okawa is limited even within Japan, and his work has received almost no attention overseas. This footed cup, combining layers of colored glass and two kinds of foil on a frosted body, is a piece of documentary value for understanding his work.
- Artist: Kaoru Okawa (大川 薫, 1940–2008)
- Representative career highlights: [1964] Joined Hokuyo Glass, [1980 onward] Exhibited in solo exhibitions and glass exhibitions in various parts of Japan, [1985] 11th Aomori Prefecture Art and Culture Award (Crafts, fiscal year Showa 60), [1990] Grand Prize, Section 1, Tohoku Glass Art Exhibition (sponsored by Asahi Glass), [1991] Asahi Glass Prize, 1st Japan Glass Art Exhibition (sponsored by Asahi Glass), [2006] Adviser to Hokuyo Glass
Museum collections: No museum holdings have been confirmed
- Period of production: Late Showa to Heisei era (between 1980 and 2008)
- Condition: Shows signs of use
- Accessories: None
- Material: Glass (metal foil decoration)
- Dimensions: Height approx. 7.0 cm, rim diameter approx. 6.0 cm, foot diameter approx. 3.0 cm
- Remarks: Single-character signature, appearing to read “Kaoru” (薫), incised on the underside of the foot. In person, the piece tends to look duller and darker than in the images, but when viewed in a bright place or with light shining on it, it shows the same coloring as in the product photographs. To avoid any misunderstanding caused by the images, we have posted a large number of photographs, so please carefully check how the coloring appears in each one.
- Note: All items offered by our shop, even if new and unused, were produced long ago and are therefore listed as pre-owned. Items may show age-related wear or damage; please review and understand this before considering your purchase.
