Hidasuki sake cup

This is a hidasuki sake cup by the world-renowned "uncrowned king," Sozan Kaneshige. It represents both the legacy left by his elder brother, Toyo, and the work into which Sozan poured his heart and soul. The soft mugwort color may not be striking at first glance, but through the use of only the finest clay, it achieves a rich, flavorful yellowish hue and a gentle texture. One cannot help but be amazed that such a magnificent scarlet-colored sash—created solely from rice straw and clay—further embellishes the soft character of the earth. This is the ultimate, quintessential hidasuki work. Signed wooden box (shiho-zan) with lid
Diameter 6.3cm x Diameter 6.2cm x Height 5.3cm Sozan Kaneshige (1909–1995) was the younger brother of Living National Treasure Toyo Kaneshige, and the two worked together until around 1951. He was considered a leading authority on tea ceramics, with a specialty in Momoyama-style hidasuki. In 1964, he built the Maruyama Kiln in the eastern suburbs of Okayama City, and in 1966, his debut of Momoyama-style hidasuki fired in an electric kiln caused quite a stir. He moved to Inbe in 1982 to build the Ushigamishita Kiln, and in 1983, he was designated as a holder of an Important Intangible Cultural Property by Okayama Prefecture. He received the Commissioner for Cultural Affairs Award, the Okayama Prefecture Cultural Award, and the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays with Rosette.