O.E.H.

I am not exactly sure where these flask style henko originate from though I have seen Sue ware pieces and even Korean Silla pots roughly of this form. From Bizen, Tamba, Tokoname all the way to Echizen various incarnations of this form show up though this particular form is all about naturally wood fired Echizen. Made by Kumano Kuroemon and fired alongside his Kuma-Shino pots, this Oni-Echizen piece was well fired and has a wide array of surface features and textures that he is well known for. The buildup of crusty ash at the mouth, neck and sides is counter balanced by the cascading ash running down the surface of the face while the back of the henko is covered in a thick, sandy layer of light tan ash that looks like a sandy beach composed of sparkling sand. I am not certain how often Kumano makes this form as this is one of only three that I have seen though a number of his Echizen contemporaries like Nishiura Takeshi seem more invested in this form and surface potential. At any rate this henko has a classic surface that Kumano has pioneered and as you look at the quirky nature and looseness of the piece it clearly fits within the vocabulary of all things "bear of Echizen".