Famous item
Accessories: Name tag (1 piece), inscription by Oda Yurakusai, name tag pouch, inner box (Kiri Haru Kei lacquerware), outer box (blue shell inlaid with Chinese characters and figures), accompanying document (1 piece), deed of transfer (1 piece)
Provenance: Oda Yurakusai → Kyoto Hachiyama Hikoemon → Nakagyo Kobe Ginshu → Oda Tokubei
Recorded in: Famous Artifacts Appraisal Book, Ishū-ryū Kagayaku-roku, Toda Yashichi’s Report, Taisho Meiki-kan
Dimensions
Height: 6.6–6.9 cm, Mouth diameter: 15.0–15.3 cm, Foot diameter: 5.1 cm, Same height: 1.0 cm, Weight: 290 g
It is said that Oda Yurakusai, who owned this piece, named it “Uji” after the village of Uji, which was praised as a place with many scenic spots. Later, it came into the possession of Hachigaya Hikoemon of Kyoto, and is also known as “Hachigaya Well.”
Compared to the deep, bowl-shaped tea bowls often associated with old monks or the Six Jizo statues, this is an ancient well-shaped tea bowl with a wide, open form. The skin color is a pale persimmon hue, giving it a bright and cheerful appearance, reminiscent of the sunny Uji countryside. However, the wheel marks gradually appearing on the outer rim are quite challenging, and they harmonize well with the robust design of the bamboo-jointed high foot. The glaze is applied thickly and evenly, and due to the high content of feldspar, the overall texture has a milky white appearance. The clay and glaze seem to have blended well, resulting in gentle crackles that avoid extreme glossiness or water stains, giving the piece an overall calm apricot color. As expected, the glaze has cracked and flaked off around the foot and inside the base, revealing the red-brown clay beneath, adding an extra touch of charm.
Nameplate: One piece, inscribed by Oda Yurakusai
Name tag bag
Outer box: Blue shell with Tang-style human figure pattern
