Ninsei, Iroe Yui-mon

Accessories
Box: Paulownia wood, unpainted; Inscription: Written by Kanamori Sōwa

Provenance
Kanamori Sōwa → Maeda family… Fujita family

Dimensions
Height: 1.4 cm
Body diameter: 8.8 cm
Width: 2.9 cm
Length (left/right): 17.5 cm
Weight: 130 g

As evident from the inscription on the box stating “Possessed by Sōwa,” this incense container was crafted to his taste and evokes his tea style. It was likely a prized piece for Kanamori Sōwa.
Ninsei’s execution is also exceptional: the knotted ball seal is beautifully formed, and the white glaze is applied paper-thin over the knots, giving it a proud look befitting a masterfully executed difficult piece.
The coloring—a red ground with a deer pattern at the knot, combined with green arabesques and indigo checkerboard patterns—fully displays the graceful elegance of feminine motifs. Sōwa’s taste is unmistakable.
Kanamori Sōwa transferred this treasured piece to the Maeda family, from which it passed into the hands of an Osaka connoisseur who cherished it.
Ninsei excelled at creating knotted-knot incense containers, and while pieces of more standard dimensions are commonly favored and several have been passed down, a work like this is entirely exceptional. It should be regarded as a rare ceramic treasure.

Box: Paulownia wood, white lacquer, with inscription by Kanamori Sōwa