Bizen Sake Cup

This is a Bizen sake cup by Rokuro Nakamura, a master craftsman of Bizen ware who was celebrated as a god of sake vessel making. It is an early-period piece featuring the unique form that established the image of Nakamura's work, likely created when he was between 60 and 70 years old. It is slightly smaller and more restrained in form than his later works, allowing one to savor the master's technique with a perfect amount of sake. The firing results in a finish with exceptional allure, featuring a slightly tighter, firmer texture compared to his later pieces, offering a sophisticated charm that is distinct from his final years. While it exhibits the strong reddish clay character typical of the Nakamura family, it is fired to a more austere and settled texture, with a beautifully balanced blend of scarlet, orange, and shiso-purple hues. The subtle, slightly matte green sesame glaze also adds a wonderful sense of refinement, embodying the charm of the Nakamura family's kiln-transformation—pieces that are "a joy to view, a joy to use, and a joy to cultivate." The interior of the cup boasts an even more alluring surface; its indescribable, slightly lustrous hue, reminiscent of the skin of a ripened fruit, possesses a devilish charm that stirs the hearts of sake lovers. (*Please note that while there are no signs of use or stains, this is a vintage piece.) Signed wooden box (shihō-san) with lid
Diameter 7.0cm × Diameter 6.8cm × Height 5.3cm Rokuro Nakamura worked for a company until the end of the war, after which he studied under Living National Treasure Toyo Kaneshige in 1945 to refine his skills, eventually establishing his own Rokuro Kiln in 1961. He preferred using the potter's wheel to create sake vessels like tokkuri, though he also worked with slab-building techniques to create hōbin, teapots, and tea bowls. His style was simple and wild; as an artist of unglazed stoneware, he valued the firing process and devoted great effort to kiln packing, which determines the quality of the work. He was recognized as a Traditional Craftsman in 1986, the same year he received the Okayama Nichinichi Shimbun Prize, and in 1989, he was awarded the Seventh Class Order of the Blue Paulownia Leaves. He passed away in April 2004.