Glass jug with handles by Iwata Hisatoshi 1925-1994

This small jug or vase is about 4" high x 5" diameter. It came with the signed tomo-bako wooden box. This is an original piece made by Iwata Hisatoshi. It is a deep purple/blue color with white and yellow accents. There is an ukon-fu (tumeric cloth) to wrap the jug in and a sanado-himo (flat string) which feeds through holes in the base to tie the box shut. There is a printed label attached under the lid. I purchased this piece from a buyer for Christies. She is Japanese and was selling off some of her personal collection.

Iwata Hisatoshi 1925-1994 was born in Tokyo, the eldest son of Iwata Toshichi, the father of modern Japanese art glass. Iwata studied at the Tokyo Bijutsu school in the design department. He graduated from the prestigious Tokyo School of Fine Arts in 1950. He was selected for Nitten (Japanese Fine Arts Exhibition) for the first time in 1949 and continued to exhibit there afterward. He inherited Iwata Industrial Art Glass which his father founded in 1953. Iwata established the Japan Industrial Arts Society in 1972 and was its chairperson afterward for five years. He was a founding member of the Shiseido-sponsored Exhibition of Modern Industrial Arts (1975–95), submitting works for display eighteen times up until 1993. His work was added to the permanent of the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art 20th century Design and Architecture section in 1986. His work is also part of the collection of the Corning Glass Museum. He is also known as Iwata Kuri. Kuri means "chestnut" in Japanese.

Iwata Toshichi (1893-1980) is considered to be the founding father of Modern art glass making in Japan. Iwata graduated from the Tokyo School of Fine Arts metal-craft department in 1918. He then earned a BA in Western (Oil) Painting in 1923. Iwata next moved to study glass under Imamura Shigezo at the Tachibana Glass Factory. Iwata exhibited his works at the Nitten National Exhibition before and after the Second World War, serving as an exhibition judge there later in life. Iwata received the Japan Art Academy Prize in 1951. In 1972 he founded the Japan Glass Art and Crafts Association. He was awarded the Order of the Sacred Treasure in 1980 by the Emperor for his lifetime of devotion to the arts. His works have been collected by the The National Museums of Modern Art, in both Tokyo and Kyoto, and several of his pieces are held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York among many others.

Translation of document that came with the jug:

"Biography of Hisatoshi Iwata
Born in Tokyo in 1925.
Graduated from Tokyo School of Fine Arts (now Tokyo University of the Arts) in 1950.
1955 - Won the Nitten Special Selection for the second consecutive time.
1958 - Judge for the Nitten Exhibition, and several times thereafter.
1963 - Lecturer at Musashino Art University. Director of the Ceramic Association.
He held one solo exhibition in 1971, and has since held exhibitions every year in various locations.
1976 - Awarded the Minister of Education Award at the Nitten Exhibition. Purchased by the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo.
Received the First Dark Blue Ribbon Medal in 1979. Purchased by the Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art.
1981 - Received the Everyday Art Award. Purchased by the National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto.
Received the Japan Art Academy Prize in 1982. Purchased by the Agency for Cultural Affairs.
He is a director of the Nitten Exhibition, the Kofu-kai, and the Japan Glass Crafts Association.
Lecturer at Musashino Art University. Chairman of Iwata Glass Industry Co., Ltd."