Beautifully shaped Bizen tea caddy (chaire) made by Isezaki Mitsuru. Rice straw cords that were soaked in salt water and bound around the unglazed body leaving red traces on the surface during the firing process. This ancient technique, already known from Momoyama-period pieces (1573-1603) is called hidasuki (literally "red ribbon"). This excellent piece is signed underneath and comes with two silk pouches (shifuku) in a large fitted wooden box.
Isezaki Mitsuru was born 1934 and member of the Nihon Kōgei Kai (Japan Association for Arts and Crafts). He holds the Kaneshige-Tōyō Price from 1973 and was rewarded the title "Okayama Prefecture Intangible Cultural Property" in 1998. His younger brother is Isezaki Jun (*1936) who is a Japanese "Living National Treasure".
Box is inscribed Bizen hidasuki katashiki chaire 備前 緋襷肩衝茶入 ("Bizen shoulder-type tea caddy with red ribbon decor") and signed Mitsuru 満.
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