Bizen Guinomi

This is a Bizen sake cup by Rokuro Nakamura, a master craftsman of whom Bizen is proud and who was hailed as the god of sake vessel making. It is a piece from his later years, featuring the powerful yet alluring form that was so beloved by sake enthusiasts. The powerfully undulating rim, characteristic of his later period, is truly captivating, and one can almost visualize the clay dancing freely on the potter's wheel. The clay, likely fired slowly and thoroughly, exhibits a rich, mellow color; a deep shiso-red base transitions into a soft, melting brownish hue, forming a texture of remarkable depth. The interior seems to have gathered the molten ash from the kiln as if to scoop up the sake, with shimmering, gold-dust-like "goma" (sesame) ash glazes providing a magnificent backdrop for the sake. The foot, carved as if gouged out with a spatula, is arguably the hallmark of this god of sake vessels, Rokuro Nakamura. Signed wooden box (shiho-san)
Diameter 8.3cm x 7.9cm x Height 5.6cm Rokuro Nakamura worked as a company employee until the end of the war, after which he apprenticed under the Living National Treasure Toyo Kaneshige in 1945 to hone his skills, eventually establishing his own Rokuro Kiln in 1961. He preferred creating sake vessels such as tokkuri on the potter's wheel, though he also produced pieces like houbin teapots, kyusu teapots, and tea bowls using the tatara method. His style was rustic and full of wild spirit; as an artist of unglazed stoneware, he prioritized the firing process and devoted great effort to the kiln-loading process, which determines the quality of the work. He was designated a traditional craftsman in 1986, the same year he received the Okayama Nichinichi Shimbun Prize, and in 1989, he was awarded the Order of the Blue Paulownia Leaves in the spring decorations. He passed away in April 2004.