Kawakita Handeishi Yunomi

[Aloof Pegasus]

As many of you will know Kawakita Handeishi is associated with Momoyama revival chawan which he was famous for giving intriguing names to. Those kind of pieces are well out of my reach but the nice thing about collecting Yakimono is the way that a good yunomi from such an artist is still affordable.

[Aloof Pegasus]

http://e-yakimono.blogspot.ca/2010/01/kawakita-handeishi-playful-chajin.html?m=1

[sabi]

Wonderful piece my friend! Do let me know if that one ever needs a new home!

 

I have a new Yunomi as well... Made by an Iga-based artist, Atarashi Manabu, however it's a bit of a departure for him and done in the ki-seto style. I particularly enjoy how the scorch marks look like dragonflies.

 

 

 

 

[Aloof Pegasus]

This ridge reminds me of the one you find on a kukri handle. I imagine it is comforting to hold and gives tactile interest. I like ki-seto too.

 

How's the koudei?

[John A Stuart]

I find this winter style difficult to whisk and use a summer style for matcha. They are fine for sencha however. John

[sabi]

Yes, it's very nice in hand and does provide a tactile quality. Here's a pic of the foot, boldly formed with no wobble.

 

 

Yes John I completely agree...while it's doable, whisking in a tall yunomi isn't much fun. I use this piece at the office for my every day bagged tea and coffee, which perfectly suits it!

[Aloof Pegasus]

The bad news is that the clay will absorb the coffee and may impact the flavour of the sencha. The good news is that you need a second cup for coffee.

It is a nice foot you are right. Nice cup!

[Aloof Pegasus]

Could be for coffee, it's big enough.

[Henry Wilson]

I picked up a nice set of 5 matching Oribe plates recently. They apparently could date to the Meiji period but the cynic in me is doubtful. The green glaze ranges from vibrate colour to a flatter blue hue across the set of 5. I love the lines across the edges that are straight but takes on a Fuji shape because of the angle. One of the motifs seems to be a gourd, the other a flower or kanj. Anyone any ideas?

[Aloof Pegasus]

Lovely! Congratulations Henry. Great buy. I'm no expert on antique pieces either but see nothing to contradict Meiji. Wonderful colour.

[Aloof Pegasus]

BTW Henry are you ever out Takeshita street way? Coming from the Harajuku Station end turn at the pancake shop and next left. Do you know that bloke? He sometimes has great to semi great antique pieces at knockdown prices.

Shop is just a couple of window displays and a small room full of glitzy crap.

[Henry Wilson]

Hi Philip

 

Thanks for the kind words. I think I know the shop. It is a window of stuff that you have to ask about. If so I got two of these there just off Takeshita Dori.

 

 

 

Further down Omotesando in the area of the Nezu museum is this place where I got the Oribe plates. He might have a few more left

https://m.facebook.com/IshiiCollection/

[sabi]

The bad news is that the clay will absorb the coffee and may impact the flavour of the sencha. The good news is that you need a second cup for coffee.

It is a nice foot you are right. Nice cup!

I'll take any excuse to buy another, so consider it done!

 

And thanks! I quite enjoy it and it's good size for my preference. I thought it was interesting to see such a nice kiseto piece from an artist known pretty much entirely for Iga work.

 

 

Henry,

 

Very nice plates, I'm a big fan of bold and colorful Oribe serving dishes and plates. They provide the perfect canvas for Oribe work IMO, wide open spaces and plenty of angles to bounce patterns off.

 

I'm basically clueless when it comes to dating late Edo and Meiji. It does look like they could have a bit of age though. I really like the feet and the colors/motifs are classic.

[Aloof Pegasus]

Thanks for the link, Henry. Yes that's the place. Found some nice oribe tea cups there. And these plates around the turn of the 20th c. Makes me think if these are 1915 or so the Kawakita Hadeishi piece should be earlier- not that it matters.

[ROKUJURO]

I find this winter style difficult to whisk and use a summer style for matcha......

John,

 

are YUNOMI meant for MATCHA at all? I always used a HAN-TSUTSU GATA CHAWAN fot that purpose.

 

[John A Stuart]

Well, according to what I was told. In winter Yunomi were used for macha as well as sencha as they retain the heat better. Of course, that was more relevant in the days when houses were cold and charcoal braziers barely kept you from freezing, something I experienced in the mountains of Quangxi. No central heat there. Hot tea was a life saver. John

[Mark S.]

More specifically the taller bowls (also known as tsutsu chawan) were better suited for making koicha (thick or heavy tea) where the tea isn't as much 'whisked' as it is 'kneaded'. The water needs to remain very hot (especially in cold weather) due to the increased time necessary for the kneading process. Tea whisks came in different shapes to assist with the kneading and the bowl was tilted slightly during the kneading process (or whisking if making usucha - light tea). You can make usucha in the taller bowls, but it can be difficult.

[Curran]

Is there any recommended board or forum for learning about Japanese pottery?

I come at this from knowing a good bit about korean, but very little about Japanese regions and styles.

 

My tastes seem to be limited to certain historical and modern schools. I can photograph an example given to me in Japan in 1989. It might take a few days.

 

A few years ago I was very much struck by a modern potter's work and tracked down some pages with notes on his work. He seems to have shifted styles to a bit more experimental-playful, and I don't like his more recent work. To this day I regret not buying one of his earlier bowls, having been outbid. Thinking again on that bowl, I decided that I should learn a bit more in this area. I would appreciate anyone pointing me in the right direction to self educate.

[Aloof Pegasus]

Hello Curran

Have you tried Robert Yellin's e-yakimono site? Lots of info about the styles and regions there.

[sabi]

Hey Curran,

 

I agree with Philip on Mr. Yellin's site, it gives a nice basic rundown of kils, shapes etc.  Some enjoyable articles as well that highlight specific potters or exhibitions. 

 

I'd also pick up the book Turning Point:  Oribe and the Arts of 16th C. Japan.  It can be found for short money on eBay and is a wonderful reference.  Many famous, high level period pieces are shown and the write ups are fantastic.  It doesn't cover all types of course given the title, but will provide a solid background on Mino, Seto, Bizen, Iga/Shigaraki and a few others. It also discusses at length historical context, how the tea ceremony evolved under Furuta Oribe and became tailor made for the warrior class. As a text on Momoyama/early Edo arts in general, many nice paintings are shown as well along with clothing and other everyday items. 

[Curran]

Thank you gentlemen.

Hurricane Irma has sidelined my hobbies for a few weeks, but I will follow up on both Mr. Yellin's website and the book Turning Point soon.

[ken kata]

I was at Mr. Yellin's Blog site, and, the caption was hard to read there, so, here is the caption about Handeishi Kawakita:

 

 

" In the world of 20th century Japanese Tea Ceramics there is one man who left a mark like no other, yet his first job was not as an artist yet as a wealthy banker of great privilege.

 

His legacy is based on his magnificent chawan and other utensils associated with cha-no-yu, along with his profound influence on many younger potters of the day---

think 1930s-40s--who later became the pillars of their own respective styles--think Kaneshige Toyo, Miwa Kyuwa and Arakawa Toyozo.

 

Handeishi Kawakita is his name and he referred to himself as an amateur, and his works do lack technical proficiency,

but they are in keeping with an "amateur tradition" that dates back to the great Koetsu Honami (1558-1637).

 

His chawan have charming personalities and quirky rhythms about them, bearing names such as "The Wealthy" or "Thin Ice";

Kawakita was well-known for the unusual names he bestowed on his works.  "

 

 

 

 

[sabi]

Well, according to what I was told. In winter Yunomi were used for macha as well as sencha as they retain the heat better. Of course, that was more relevant in the days when houses were cold and charcoal braziers barely kept you from freezing, something I experienced in the mountains of Quangxi. No central heat there. Hot tea was a life saver. John

Decided to give it a go with my kiseto yunomi this morning. While having a whisk with a long handle certainly helps, it was pretty easy to prepare even with the limited space.

 

Tastes just as good, and I got the usual puzzled looks from my co-workers so all is right with the world on this fine Friday morning.

 

 

[Aloof Pegasus]

Teabowl, Kohiki type, named Yuki no akebono(Snowy Dawn) The Sekisui Kaikan Museum

[Aloof Pegasus]

Here's Kawakita Handeishi's hanko.

[John A Stuart]

Right on Evan. John

[Aloof Pegasus]

https://chano-yu.com/shino-chawan-tea-bowl-marked-kawakita-handeishi-2756/

[Aloof Pegasus]

https://chano-yu.com/shino-guinomi-sake-cup-marked-kawakita-handeishi-2754/

[John A Stuart]

This potter was very prolific. Not too expensive either for new collectors.

 

Kawakita Handeishi (1878-1963)

A wealthy cotton merchant from Ise born to the Kawakita Kyudaku household, he was separated from his parents and became the head of the family at around 1. He took the name of Kyudaku the 16th, and received training in Zen and so on from his grandmother (what is currently called "emperor studies"). After graduating from Waseda University, he took on his father's occupation, also working as a Hyakugo Bank board member in 1903 before becoming Hyakugo's president in 1919, and its chairman in 1945. He also served as a member of the Mie prefectural assembly.
During this time he also showed a wide ranging talent for ceramics, calligraphy, and painting, particularly ceramics. He began making Raku ware in 1912, and opened a coal furnace at his home in 1929. In 1934 he built a Noborigama kiln of his own design, and held a one man show at Rosanjin's Hoshigaoka-saryo restaurant.
He also formed the "Karahine Kai" group with Kaneshige Toyo and Arakawa Toyozo in 1939, and established the Hironaga Toen studio in 1946.
He put particular effort into tea bowls, but rather than formal molds or expressions he would develop pieces with free expression, using an abstracted Buddha motif in calligraphy and paintings and so on to develop a unique world. They are currently highly valued on the market.

[Aloof Pegasus]

Thanks John. Good summary.

 

Self portrait

Private Collection