Bizen-yaki handmade houbin (tea pot)

This is a handmade Bizen-yaki houhin (teapot) by the late Living National Treasure, the great restorer of Bizen ware, Toyo Kaneshige. This handmade teapot was crafted when Toyo Kaneshige—a man who could truly be said to have dedicated his entire life to Bizen ware—was active in Imbe as a young genius artisan. It was created entirely by hand without the use of a potter's wheel; the way the lid fits perfectly onto the body and the flawless rise of the form are the pinnacle of precision. Yet, he successfully infused it with a human touch; the incised line patterns on the lid and the plump, rounded rim gently soften the precise form, imbuing the piece with warmth and a sense of wabi-sabi. Original signed wooden box (two-way cross-bar lid)
Diameter including spout 9.8cm × Diameter 8.9cm × Height including lid 5.4cm Toyo Kaneshige (1896–1967, born in Imbe, Bizen City) was the eldest son of Baiyo Kaneshige, from a branch of the Kaneshige family, one of the six traditional Bizen-yaki families. He studied under his father and rose to fame for his handmade teapots. From the Taisho period through the early Showa period, he conducted extensive research and succeeded in reproducing the clay quality of Momoyama-period Bizen ware. Around that time, he began using the potter's wheel and threw himself into the creation of tea ceramics. He deepened his friendships with Handeishi Kawakita, Toyozo Arakawa, and Kyusetsu Miwa, and after the war, he expanded his artistic range under the influence of Rosanjin Kitaoji and Isamu Noguchi. For these achievements, he is known as the restorer of Bizen ware. He was the first Bizen-yaki artist to be designated a holder of an Important Intangible Cultural Property, and in 1964 and 1966, he was invited as a guest lecturer for the summer session at the University of Hawaii. In 1967, he performed a pottery demonstration before Emperor Showa and Empress Kojun during their visit to Bizen.
Major awards: Chugoku Culture Award, Sanyo Shimbun Award, Okayama Prefecture Cultural Award, Medal with Purple Ribbon, Order of the Sacred Treasure, Fourth Class, Gold Rays with Rosette.