Shino Pussy Willow vase, Kikyoya kiln, Mino Yaki

This Shino globe vase is about 6" in diameter and weighs about 1 lb 14 ounces, decorated on all sides. It is signed and stamped on the base. Several sources identify the potter as Kosaburo (Kuwabara Kosaburo V?) and the signature and stamp are consistent with his work. This vase probably originally had a tomobako.

Apologies for the half-assed image editing as I put something together from the seller's images which were against a poor background and HRH Amanda was trying to participate by getting between me and my laptop during the whole session. She gets an anti-director credit (AKA PITA) and no image for her trouble.

I have been keeping an eye out for one of these for some time but they can be expensive. I found this one for $10 so picked it up. They are sometimes decorated with cranes, mountains or flowers, etc., on them instead of pussy willows. They all seem to be made by the same potter/kiln. I was a bit on the fence as to whether or not they were Japanese since the marks do not look particularly Japanese to me, but eventually found one with a foil Japanese export label. I later found one that had a domestic label on the vase, which is shown in image #4. The label says "Kikyoya Kiln", which I discovered is a Mino Yaki kiln in the Gifu Prefecture of Japan. The vases I can find which are dated, date to the 1960s-1980s. Not sure if these are still being made and if the artist is still living.

Still researching.

Some information about the Kikyoya Kiln from a document that accompanied a cup by this kiln:

"Under the fourth generation Koshiro, the coal kiln was replaced by a heavy oil kiln. Today, modern gas kilns have been used, and firing in a Takigi kiln produces the same flame color as Shino ware, recreating the Shino ware of the Azuchi-Momoyama period.

Mino Ancient Kiln Kikyoya Kiln

The first Kosaburo built a kiln in Takayama, Tokitsu Town around the time of the Bunkyu era of the Edo period. Up until the time of the second Kosaburo, kilns were built climbing steep slopes with poles on their backs, and by the third Ken, coal kilns were introduced.

respect for the master

Founded 120 years ago, Kikyoya Kiln Fifth Generation Small

"Shino" is made mainly of feldspar and is applied thickly. Thinner areas are more likely to show fire color.

This is a representative pottery from the Azuchi-Momoyama period and was favored by warlords of the Sengoku period."