Bonsai Pot by Setsukou (Tokoname) - Taisho era 100yrs+ 12⅞ in (33cm)

What's this, Chinese, Nakawatari? No, it's a very early example of a Tokoname bonsai pot. In the late Meiji and early Taisho era, bonsai began to become popular with the masses in Japan.

Chinese pots had long been favoured by the elite, the Nakawatari period spanned 1800-1911. In Japan, The Meiji era spanned 1868-1912, and was a period of huge modernisation and upheaval, seeing the end of a feudal society (including Samurai) and the beginning of a parliamentary monarchy (similar to the UK) with a constitution.

Tokoname was a well established pottery centre, one of Japans "Ancient Kilns" (which in truth were collections of kilns). With the iron rich clay that fired to maturity at a low temperature that had been used to make architectural and tea wares already for hundreds of years, Tokoname was about to become a centre for bonsai pots.

That's when this pot was made. Sometime between late Meiji and early Taisho (1912-26), about a hundred years ago. Such pots are generalised as Taisho-Toko. This example is from a kiln called 'Setsukou', the clay is typical Tokoname, and would have been fired in a traditional wood-fired "Anagama" kiln.

It was probably mould made and was hand finished. There are plenty of finger marks where it has been smoothed off, and it's interesting to see this and compare with top Chinese Nakawatari wares which are more refined; the Japanese were on still on catch up at this point.

This pot has been well used, and any watering has thankfully not been with hard water. The patina has got to that point where it is flaking off in places, hence the similarity to antique Chinese pieces. So, it has it's place in history, and as we know, Tokoname went on to produce such great artists, we can only look forward and anticipate the quality of a Yamaaki, Koyo or Ikko when they reach this age!

As this is an antique, I would personally be cautious about exposing it to frost and hard, wet winters. It's reached this age and earnt it's patina, it deserves to be protected from the worst of the elements!