Height: 6.0 – 6.3cm
Diameter: 12.4cm
Foot diameter: 5.6 – 6.3cm
Height: 1.3cm
This is a small piece for Kumagawa, with a large foot and a flat shape, and is called Hirakumagawa. However, it has a deep charm in the spots around the waist and the glaze that has turned into a plum blossom skin, and it is an excellent Nokawa masterpiece.
The clay is slightly ferrous and has a rough texture with small grains of sand. It is covered in a transparent white glaze on the inside and outside, but the glaze is not completely fired, so it is slightly translucent in places. In particular, the foot ring is not completely fired, and there is a mottled pattern on it, like a well, and the glaze also leaves marks from the fingers that held the bowl when it was being glazed, adding to the charm of the piece. There are cracks all over the inside and outside, but the thicker parts of the glaze are rough, while the thinner parts are fine. The inside and foot ring are unglazed, and have a reddish-black patina from tea stains. The firing is slightly oxidized, and the overall color is a dull yellowish-green, but there are also areas with a glaze tone similar to yellow Seto. The glaze is dull and the surface feels rough because the firing was slightly underdone. Also, because the clay body is not hard and well-fired, the bottom and the outside half of the vessel are stained with tea stains, which look like rain leaking in. The inside is almost entirely stained with tea stains, but the gradation of the color is interesting.
The shape is rather thick and solid. The rim is slightly convex on the outside, and there is a small mirror on the inside. There are lines around the inside and outside of the body, like the texture of cloth, and the foot is made of bamboo, but compared to the body, the wood is thick, and there is a helmet-shaped stand in the center. Also, the bottom is cut unevenly, with one side thicker than the other, and this uneven cutting is one of the highlights of this tea bowl. There are several narrow channels around the rim, but they are unobtrusive, and this is a Koryo-style tea bowl with few flaws and a lot of charm.
The accompanying item is a paulownia wood inner box. The front of the lid is said to be a note written by Lord Matsudaira Fumai, and it says “Kumagawa tea bowl”. It was originally owned by Masuda Don’o, and although it is small, it is considered to be one of the masterpieces of Kumagawa.
