{"product_id":"479","title":"Aomori Prefecture Art and Culture Award Recipient, Tsugaru Vidro, Hokuyo Glass, Kaoru Okawa: Frosted Amber Glass Footed Cup with Silver-Tone and Brown-Tone Foil #479","description":"\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eThis 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eAccording 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eMr. 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtist: \u003c\/strong\u003eKaoru \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOkawa (大川 薫,\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1940–2008)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRepresentative career\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ehighlights: \u003c\/strong\u003e[1964] \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJoined Hokuyo Glass, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e[1980 onward] \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eExhibited in solo \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eexhibitions and glass \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eexhibitions in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003evarious parts of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJapan, [1985] 11th \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAomori Prefecture Art \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eand Culture Award \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e(Crafts, fiscal year \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eShowa 60), [1990] \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGrand Prize, Section \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1, Tohoku Glass Art \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eExhibition (sponsored \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eby Asahi Glass), \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e[1991] Asahi Glass \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePrize, 1st Japan \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGlass Art Exhibition \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e(sponsored by Asahi \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGlass), [2006] \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAdviser to Hokuyo \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGlass\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMuseum \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ecollections: No \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003emuseum holdings have \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ebeen confirmed\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePeriod\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eof production: \u003c\/strong\u003eLate \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eShowa to Heisei era \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e(between 1980 and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e2008)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eShows signs of use\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAccessories: \u003c\/strong\u003eNone\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial: \u003c\/strong\u003eGlass\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e(metal foil \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003edecoration)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions: \u003c\/strong\u003eHeight\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eapprox. 7.0 cm, rim \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ediameter approx. 6.0 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ecm, foot diameter \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eapprox. 3.0 cm\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRemarks:\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSingle-character \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003esignature, appearing \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eto read “Kaoru” (薫), \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eincised on the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eunderside of the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003efoot. In person, the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003epiece tends to look \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eduller and darker \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ethan in the images, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ebut when viewed in a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ebright place or with \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003elight shining on it, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eit shows the same \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ecoloring as in the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eproduct photographs. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTo avoid any \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003emisunderstanding \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ecaused by the images, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ewe have posted a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003elarge number of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ephotographs, so \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eplease carefully \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003echeck how the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ecoloring appears in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eeach one.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNote: \u003c\/strong\u003eAll\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eitems offered by our \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eshop, even if new and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eunused, were produced \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003elong ago and are \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003etherefore listed as \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003epre-owned. Items may \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eshow age-related wear \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eor damage; please \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ereview and understand \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ethis before \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003econsidering your \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003epurchase.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Antique Liquor","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67651885138107,"sku":null,"price":23000.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0652\/0510\/8923\/files\/IMG_4918_result_734870fb-da33-425f-bfad-369758da4801.jpg?v=1791899472","url":"https:\/\/antiqueliquor1926.com\/en\/products\/479","provider":"Antique Liquor","version":"1.0","type":"link"}