Height: 8.2-8.4cm
Diameter: 10.6-10.8cm
Outer diameter of foot ring: 4.8-4.9cm
Height of foot ring: 1.0cm
This is a Sōtan signature found on a tea bowl in the possession of the Tōkaibō temple. According to the “Raku Ware Tea Bowl Collection”, there was a temple called Tōkaibō in Kyoto, on the street leading up to the Seven Pine Trees in Kitano, and there was a tea ceremony room there that was to Rikyū’s taste, and it is said that this tea bowl was originally from this temple. It is likely that the temple priests were disciples of Rikyū, and that this is a reference to that.
The bowl is thickly potted with a rounded rim, slightly flared at the base, and has a tight waist. The foot is gently flared, and the five-pronged stand is shaped like a helmet, with a tassel standing up from the inside. The sides are visible, and the foot ring is slightly high. The glaze is thick, and the overall blackness is beautiful, with the characteristic tea-glaze skin of Chojiro covering the inside and outside of the bowl. The charm of the skin, in addition to the vastness of the work, makes this a tea bowl that stands out even among Chojiro’s tea bowls. The interior is glazed with a maku glaze, which gives it a rich appearance, and the tea pool is slightly deep and concave. There is a red lacquer repair on the inside rim.
The accompanying items are
Inner box: paulownia wood, with a label on the lid written by Fujimura Yoken “Chojiro Kuro Chawan Touka-bou
Same, with a label on the lid written by Fujimura Yoken ”Touka-bou, from Sōtan Chikuden, Yoken (signature seal)”
Middle box: paulownia wood, white lacquer, inscription on the lid: “Chojiro ware, owned by Yoken, Toukaibo” by Sousai Muneyoshi
Inscribed on the reverse of the lid: “Chojiro ware, black, Toukaibo, Sousai (signature)”
Outer box: black lacquer, gold powder lettering on the lid: “Toukaibo” by Sousai
Accompanying hanging scroll, one scroll, by Naosai, “I have seen this tea bowl brought by Seijiro-dono, and I am very pleased with it. I am especially interested in the history of the tea bowl, and I hope you will treasure it. I will now give you a cup of tea. Yours sincerely, Morii Sobei, 19th day of the month, (signature) Terada Sukezoemon-dono”
Attached item: One hanging scroll, addressed to Morii Sohei, written by Naitaku
One copy of Chogai’s work, written by Toukaibo
Inside box, written on the lid: “Written by Naitaku
Outside box, written on the lid: ”Written by Toukaibo, Chogai’s work, written by Naitaku
On the inside of the lid: “Given to the elderly by another family in a previous year, and now entrusted to the care of the honorable Takashu Imanishi, who has faithfully kept it for many years. Spring of the year of the Fire Monkey”
By Seiryū, copy of the work by Tōkaibō
Inside box, note by Seisai
This work was originally owned by Tōkaibō of Kitano in Kyoto, and then passed to Sōtan Sen, who inscribed it with his own name. It was owned by Fujimura Yoken around the Genroku era, and later passed to Omiya Terada Sukezoemon in Osaka, and then to Morii Ryozon (Sobee) of the same area. Since then, it has rarely been taken out of the house, but after the war, it was given to a certain family who were leading tea ceremony enthusiasts in the Kansai area.
