Vintage Bizenyaki Hanging Vase
Vintage Bizenyaki hanging vase from the Konishi Tōko Kiln in Okayama prefecture. It is a striking piece for single stem flowers or minimalist floral decorations. It can be placed on its base on a flat surface, or hung from a wall using a steel hook embedded in the vase.
- Dimensions: 28cm (H) x 9.5cm diameter at base
- Mouth diameter: 4.5 x 3cm
- Weight: Approximately 760g
- Packaging: Original wooden box, wrapped in an ukon-fu (cloth)
- Condition: The vase was kept in long-term storage, so there is rust on the wall attachment and the wooden box shows aging. The ceramic body is in very good condition with no damage.
Note on vintage items: These items are sourced with care from Japan and only wiped down with soft cloth once received. They are sold as-is, so what you see in the pictures is what you will receive. There might be some aging, fading, or small scratches, so please look carefully before buying.
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Bizenyaki is a traditional Japanese pottery style originating from Bizen, Okayama Prefecture. It is one of Japan's six ancient kilns, known for its unglazed, rustic aesthetic and earthy tones. The pottery is characterized by its simplicity and natural beauty, achieved through a unique firing process, which typically requires wood-firing at high temperatures (1,200 - 1,300 degrees Celsius) for up to two weeks.
Due to shrinkage of the clay used when fired, it is not glazed and, therefore, wheren fired over a long period it allows for a change in size. By applying a variety of firing techniques, including binding pieces with straw, marks and patterns are applied and wood ash sometimes creates glazing effects. The texture of Bizen ware is rough and sturdy, often showing the natural grain of the clay and the design is minimalist and functional.
Bizenyaki has excellent heat retention, cold retention and purifying properties. It has long ben said that beer, sake and water tastes better in Bizenyaki vessels, that coffee becomes smooth and that flowers in a vase last a long time. According to Konishi Tōko Kiln, their mascot and signboard dog only wants to drink water from Bizenyaki bowls.
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Konishi Tōko Kiln is the brand for the artisan potters who create new pieces and recreates classic designs of the kiln. The current head artist is Konishi Tōzo, who is a Intangible Cultural Property, designated by Bizen city. His mother worked under the name of Konishi Tōko II (1927-2018), as her father was Konishi Tōko I (1899 - 1954). The first generation developed a technique to incorporate different shades of white, blue or gray to high-fired red pottery through oxidation without glaze, and this was continued by his daughter. The third generation Konishi Tōzo's motto is "tradition is created by the continued adding of the present onto the past."