MINO-IGA?

This is another one of those, I am not sure I would have gotten there without the box description. My first thought was this was either Shigaraki or a general haikaburi vase but as I mentioned, the box notes that this is in fact, Mino-Iga. The form has that almost classic, utsushi-mono look as if it was some copy of a medieval vase with the deep vertical furrows, throwing marks, rugged lugs terminating in the oft seen bulbous neck/ mouth of a number of Shigaraki and Iga forms.   

This was made by Toki potter, Kato Mitsuhide which if you read my blog, you may remember as the creator of the funky, cool Ki-Seto koro that I have posted previously. Among other Mino styles, the tradition also showcases Mino-Iga where the pot is often woodfired with or without any seed glaze and also has iron accents splashed or trailed across the surface. As you can see, this hanaire is covered over in a rather uniform coating of textured ash with areas which have blackened a bit, breaking up the overall monotone coloration. I guess I am still not 100% sold on the description but I’ll go with, the potter knows best.  

(Hollywood backdrop courtesy of Tsujimura Shiro)