Antique or Vintage CELADON POTTERY Japanese or Korean WATER DROPPER for Calligraphy Ink Stone

SUPERB CONDITION

WITH fine crazing under larger crazing

NOTES: I found information on both Japanese as well as Korean...

If KOREAN: "ANTIQUE KOREAN CELADON WATER DROPPER
Antique Korean Celadon glazed water dropper; of donut form with short spout, and a tall, crackle-glazed chimney-type intake opening; with sparse decoration of a horse and leaves; D: 5 1/8" (approx.);
Provenance: From the Hashimoto Estate...Lot 261: ANTIQUE KOREAN CELADON WATER DROPPER
Sold
I.M. Chait
March 20, 2016
Beverly Hills, CA, US"

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*Also regarding a mark on the lid i found this, which may or may not be relevant: "The Circle with a Cross that often make up part of the marks, are the Shimazu Mon or the family crest of the clan that ruled Satsuma Han..."

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If JAPANESE: "We were recently informed that Mr. Sue, who has produced many beautiful and valuable items of Somayaki ware, has sadly passed away.

Despite enduring many difficulties following the accident at the Fukushima Dai ichi nuclear plant, Mr. Sue fiercely retained his pride and dignity as a Somayaki craftsman and made concerted efforts with his fellow potters to keep the age-old tradition of Soma alive.
It was a tragedy that he was never able to return to his hometown and practise his craft in familiar surroundings.

(March 2013) The Sue family who produce Somayaki items for our site are still unable to return to their home village of Namie. Therefore, Mr. Sue has started the process of setting up his own kiln in the city of NihonMatsu (in the middle of Fukushima prefecture).

Somayaki was established in 1690 in Fukushima, Northern Japan. During the Edo period, it enjoyed the protection of the Soma lords and grew to over 100 kilns, making it one of the biggest and most important potteries in Northern Japan. However with the advent of the Meiji restoration, the influence of the lords declined and the number of kilns gradually decreased to the 27 still in production today. Somayaki is proud of its history and draws from 300 years of tradition to create distinctive, unique pieces popular with collectors everywhere. One of the most recognisable characteristics of Somayaki is its "Hashirigoma"(galloping horse motif). The origin of the motif is the subject of much speculation, but there can be no doubt that it is related to Soma's long history of horse handling ( the "ma" in Soma actually means "horse"). Over 1,000 years ago, horses were used as a form of martial training. Warriors were prepared for battle by trying to wrestle sacred banners from the backs of wild horses. This tradition is re-enacted during the "Soma-nomaoi" festival held every July, drawing many visitors to the area. The galloping horse motif is painted on Somayaki following the tradition of the Kano School of Painting, one of the most prominent and respected schools of art in Japan.