Illustrated
is a small little jar made in Fujina, it is combed slipware with a soft
greenish toned ame-yu glaze made by mingei purist; Funaki Michitada
(1900-1963). Measuring in at less than four inches tall, this pot is a little
gem with a swollen, full presence with a perfect little knob made just right to
get the job done. Influenced by Old English slipware and Bernard Leach,
Michitada and his son, Kenji (b. 1927) have carried out a crusade for creating
beautiful and functional pots in a blended style of medieval England and Japan.
This lidded ko-tsubo is made out of an iron rich reddish clay that just peeks
out through the combed texture revealing a dark surface just beneath. Having a
wonderful, natural feel in hand with a lid fits just right and the knob just asking
to be grabbed this is a mingei pot through and through.