Narumi-Oribe Guinomi By Sasaki Tadashi

[sabi]

I had always hoped to get lucky and snag a piece that fell under the radar, in ANY hobby. After years of sellers always knowing what they have, and buyers consistently recognizing quality resulting in skyrocketing bids in the dying seconds, I finally sniped one.

 

Part of my point (along with the hopes of jump starting some pottery interest here) is to illuminate the fact that good pieces can be found for short money. Good luck trying to do the same with swords and fittings.

 

 

As a few of you may have noticed by my posts in this sub-forum, I have a gaping soft spot for Oribe-ware. This piece belongs to a sub-style that I haven't yet mentioned, and is one of my favorites. Narumi-Oribe is a variant of Oribe-ware that uses the white clay we see among Ao (green) and Kuro (black) pieces, with the addition of red clay to create a very dynamic and different feel. The white clay is decorated with green glaze as it would with Ao-Oribe, while the red is merely hazed over by a layer of white slip and forms the background for the traditional, bold Oribe brushwork. Depending on the origin of the red clay and firing methods, the hue can vary immensely with the final result exhibiting peach, orange, tan or reddish-brown undertones.

 

 

Sasaki Tadashi was a 20th C. master of Oribe ware, and while he dabbled in other styles, he is buy and large known for the Oribe pieces left behind. Such works are featured in publications, and I know of at least one that resides in a museum, which I'll get to later. This is a rather small-ish guinomi, bordering on ochoko size at 2.2" wide and 1.9" tall. The form is rather classic and reserved, which works wonderfully with the bold, martial motif. Three arrows are rendered in flight and comprised of some of the better line work I've seen on a contemporary piece. The three dots are abstract and can be found in many Oribe designs, but I haven't really come across a definitive explanation for them. One period piece that shows them in the sky hints that they may be stars, but unfortunately that's all I've found. Design execution is key with Oribe-ware, needing to be bold yet free of crudeness, and compositionally sound so they don't appear to be carelessly slapped on the vessel. The manner in which the glaze is integrated into the overall theme is also important, and for the same reasons. I feel this piece balances out quite well, ebbing and flowing in all the right places. Drinking out of it is an absolute joy, and a good cup must function well, as is the case with all other forms of usable Japanese art. It's good in the hand, sits true and the lip is expertly formed, which results in it feeling like an extension of one's self when knocking back the good stuff.

 

 

While doing some research on the potter, I came across an eerily similar cup that currently resides in the Brooklyn Museum. It measures out almost exactly the same (.1 cm off in one direction) and the design similarities cannot be missed. While they have his birth year incorrect (it's actually 1922), the 1965 guess at when it was made seems about right. Tadashi was awarded the top prize at the 1967 Japan Traditional Arts and Crafts exhibition for his Oribe revival work, and these two pieces fit in well with what he was known for. It is my humble and largely uneducated opinion that these two were made in the same firing. They're just too dead on, and mine came with an identical pale yellow cloth which likely varied throughout his career. The box also has quite a bit of age to it, and is a striking contrast to the other in the picture, which was made in 2015.

 

 

This will likely be my last pottery contribution for a while unless I come across another steal. I hope this was at least mildly enjoyable and educational, questions/comments are welcome and encouraged.

 

 

Thanks for taking a look, pottery is fun!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[seattle1]

Hello:

 Nice educational post. I think that everyone who collects swords and tosogu can enhance their appreciation of those things by studying, if not actually collecting, the things that the samurai found aesthetically meaningful such as the ceramics involved in the tea ceremony, paintings, particularly those associated with Zen themes, as all such are two way streets. Some are a much lesser hit on the wallet than a sword, but just as absorbing.

 Arnold F.

[Brian]

That is a beauty!
Snagging that "under the radar" item relies on education more than luck. You knowing more than the seller. As you demonstrated, education and patience pays off
That is a stunning piece. Thanks for sharing Evan.

[Bazza]

I was at lunch today with a man who snagged "under the radar" a particularly rare sub-species of early British Naval Dirk for peanuts, simply because he knew what it was, the seller didn't and neither did anyone else who looked at the offering on ebay.  I was once looking through a motley private collection of swords and spotted an excellent katana in distressed, deplorable condition, but eminently restorable.  It had the wrong handle (NCO of all things!), no habaki, no scabbard and was black with surface rust, but the quality screamed out from under it.  The mei was SESSHU JU FUJIWARA SUKEHIRO.  I was lucky enough to be able to buy it for a fair price and it is next on my polishing list.

 

BaZZa.

 

 

EDIT TO ADD:  Evan, thanks very much for a fascinating and very interesting presentation.

[sabi]

Arnold, I couldn't agree with you more! Perfectly stated. These objects were appreciated in the same way as a Bushi's sword or dress, and the astronomical values placed on famous tea wares shows just how cherished they were.

 

A bit off topic, but there's a story I like that touches on the conflict between accumulating nice things and the ideal of impermanence and not being attached to worldly possessions. The story goes that Date Masamune was once celebrating with a group of friends, and while drinking sake, the cup slipped out of his hand. He was able to swipe it out of the air before it hit the ground, a feat I'm sure most of you have pulled off. Upon realizing what had just occurred, he became enraged. A warrior of his status had flinched for no one on his rise to power, yet a mere cup plummeting to the floor was of such concern. You could argue it was purely reactionary, but I suppose to him, snapping out for that falling ochoko was motivated, however subconsciously, by the thought of it breaking into a thousand shards...

 

 

Brian, I'm glad you like it and flattered that you're giving me that much credit! I've noticed that a good number of Japanese sellers tend to let the market dictate the price, and I've had my fair share of watched items go from $20 to $200 at the very end. But fortunately, some make it through

 

 

Hey Barry, nice to see you in here! I hope those books are treating you well.

 

That's a great find! And the rust appears to be pretty stable from here, I'd imagine it'll clean up quite well! I always enjoy hearing of other's collecting victories, they're great feel-good stories! Thanks for sharing and I'm glad you enjoyed the write-up!