FIRE TESTED GUARDIAN

Admittedly, I really don't know much about the Shigaraki potter Kawai Koji other than what I have observed from the couple of dozen pieces I have seen by him but this is not really surprising given the sheer number of "everyday" potters in Japan. The pieces, all Shigaraki and all molded except one piece, a thrown small tsubo, have been very well fired and have rather fun, playful features. Other than the ko-tsubo, the other pieces have been suiteki, kogo and koro like this handsome beast, a shishi with removable head, a rather fire tested guardian at that. 

As you can see in the photos the form is compact and effective, the one side is entirely covered with an all natural thin skin of green glass while the other side has some running ash and beautiful fumed fire color that really paints this figure and brings the piece to life. The well sculpted head was fired on the pot using wads and where one wad stuck, there is a small gold lacquer repair which I suggest was done because the maker was rather pleased with the overall firing and thought best to salvage the piece. This is not a great piece but I think that the playful, whimsical qualities of the koro are certainly more than enough to even the critical of collector pleased to have it up on a shelf, guarding the room.