25011: Ino Shukuho - Blue Green Crystal Oval - 9⅝ in (24cm)

Japanese bonsai pot by Ino Shukuho. oval, no rim, cut feet, blue green crystal glaze, seal of Shukuho underneath.

243 x 196 x 34mm (9⅝ x 7¾ x 1⅜ in)

Informal information:

Firstly, this pot has a thick base and is not very deep overall. Some people can work with this and tell me no problem, but you would have to be absolutely on top of your watering I would expect. It does at least have two large drain holes. I suspect it would work best with soil slightly mounded and possibly mossed on top. I would also absolutely protect it from frosts.

That aside, this is a rare, matte blue-green crystal glaze from Shukuho. The glaze is simply stunning. I've sold two pots with this glaze and both were snapped up by friends from across the pond. It'd be nice if someone in the UK was using one!

Please zoom in on the photos to appreciate the changing scenery of this glaze, it's a marvel of good chemistry, a fine old gas kiln and luck. Shukuho shared this kiln with Tofukuji for some time, and it is said they shared the green crystal recipe, and perhaps that bears some similarity to this one, except that this is matte. Well, looking through my Tofukuji book, there is just one pre-war Tofukuji pot with a glaze that comes close to this, and if it were a head to head the Shukuho would get my money.

On a side-note, this would also make an incredible suiban with a bit of tape over the drain holes; imagine it with a waterfall, pool or coastal stone.

Ino Shukuho, born 1943 Kyoto. Real name Ino Yoshiki. He is the 3rd generation of his family making pottery, the 1st gen built a wood fired climbing kiln, the 2nd gen., Ino Kiichiro used the climbing kiln and sold items to the Imperial household and more importantly for us, was a friend of Heian Tofukuji. 

Both Tofukuji and the Ino potters were taught about bonsai pots and suitable glazes by Takeyama Fusao, previous head of the Fuyo-en nursery. The Fuyo-en stamp (Mt Fuji) is regularly seen on pots by Ino Shukuho and Aiba Koyo. Kiichiro and Tofukuji developed glazes together, most famously the green crystal oribe, and Tofukuji fired in the Ino kiln.

I have read that Ino Shukuho (3rd gen.) carves his pots from a block of clay, which limits the number of pots he can make. Although he no longer uses the climbing kiln, he is the protector of it, and has inherited and further developed his own glazes and painted works.

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