Important Cultural Property
Dimensions
Height: 27.2–28.3 cm; Mouth diameter: 9.7–10.6 cm; Body diameter: 12.0–13.3 cm; Width: 12.4 cm; Base diameter: 12.0–12.2 cm; Weight: 2110 g
I would like to quote an excerpt from the renowned essay by Katsumi Kawasaki (a native of Iga, now deceased) describing this flower vase.
“This form is exceptionally rare; the central front face is concave, resembling a vertical folding screen. On the right half, scorched marks are arranged beneath a blue Kaiyu glaze, while on the left half, light green glaze splashes horizontally across the red unglazed clay, revealing a scene of truly extreme complexity. To draw a comparison, the right half resembles a dense grove of cedar trees in a forest, while the left half resembles a waterfall plunging nine stories; in its vividness and artistry, it is the most splendid piece in all of Iga.
“This vessel was acquired several years ago by Mr. Tsuneyoshi Ogura (a prominent merchant of Yokohama) at an Akaboshi auction for over 70,000 yen—a price that was exorbitant by the antique market standards of the time. Yet, when compared to current prices, one cannot help but admire Mr. Ogura’s discerning eye and his stance; it is a masterpiece worthy of being counted among the finest.”
