Posted 4 years ago
racer4four
(586 items)
I have found little info on Riku Kobo other than he was an artist from Aomori Prefecture and he worked through the 1980s and 1990s.
I have not seen any works by him from this century.
Clearly he was a very accomplished glass artist and liked to use techniques originating from Murano. Most of the works I have seen by him have been using canes, as in this sweet little basket in photo 4. The palette used by him is quite different to Italian artists and like this basket he used colours within a group ranging from pastels to darker shades. This basket measures 14cm including the handle.
The murrine technique seems rarer for him and the bowl in photos 1-3 is the only work I have seen of Kobo's using this technique. He must have done it quite a bit however as this bowl is an exceptional piece of murrine glass, in design and execution. It is a class piece of glass and I am so happy to have found it. The bowl measures 17cm diameter.
I don't know what happened to Kobo and his studio, it's possible he retired or just went out of business when the art glass industry shrank. I think his work shows an amazing ability to use these Murano techniques in a very Japanese way.
Super gorgeous piece, no compare !~
Awesome glass bowl with lovely floral honeycomb patch design, I love it! Kudos on discovering this rare artist
Thanks Phil, pleased to have your positive response!
Jenni I don’t deserve kudos it was an accident finding him! I’ll take it anyway lol.
The pattern is like honeycomb, so uniform which is difficult to do with Marriner work. The pink flowers make a lovely contrast to the sombre navy.
Thanks, of course!
Wow, that's truly a beautiful piece Karen!
I think I'm in love with the bowl. Just looking at it is calming.
Thanks so much Scott, pleased :)
Thanks Eileen!
The boxes are called tomobako and they are an important part of an artist's work. Japanese artists, pottery, enamel, glass, lacquer etc, don't sign their work generally. The tomobako is purpose built for the work and is signed or stamped by the artist and may also have the name of the work or a short poem or prose about it. There is a huge culture around the use of them and a work that comes in one would generally be of high esteem.
Of course with modern commercialism some cheaper goods will come in a box but they are usually a cheap box, not handmade and not individually signed.
Hope that helps!
I agree Peggy, calming. Not all Japanese glass is as you know, but both these pieces calm me. I think the matte finish helps with that too.
Such unique pieces ! I love them both
Thank you so much Mani!
Missing your mannequin posts but I know info theft has been a problem for you.
You made it to #3 so far!
Wow Fort I am chuffed!
This one truly is a most beautiful piece!!!
Thanks Austro, I think it's special too.
I remember years ago you mentioning you had been to an exhibition or museum that had some contemporary Japanese art glass. I have been slowly collecting some "better" pieces to add to my ever growing collection of the glass house productions.
I am privileged to own what I have and to have found out so much.
Of course my journey continues.