Accessories: Box (unfinished paulownia wood); inscription on the underside of the lid
Dimensions
Height: 29.4 cm; Mouth diameter: 11.3–12.5 cm; Body diameter: 17.3–17.5 cm; Base diameter: 13.5 cm; Weight: 2400 g
Long ago, Watanabe no Tsuna vanquished a demon at Rashomon and brought back one of its arms. Fearing a curse, he observed seven days of purification, but on the final day, a demon disguised as his aunt reclaimed her arm.
Indeed, gazing at this flower vase, I was impressed by how apt the name “Demon’s Arm” is. At the same time, precisely because the name is so unconventional, the piece itself leaves an impression I will never forget.
Of course, the artist did not create it intentionally; it was likely warped by chance. Moreover, the firing is excellent. Setting aside the preferences of tea masters, it is very much the sort of piece favored by the rebellious and bold designer Furuta Oribe—a flower vase that is neither quite the elder nor the younger sibling of Iga’s “Nama-tsume.”
The box bears the inscription “Accompanied by a letter from Furuta Oribe,” but no such letter by Oribe survives today.
