Oribe stoneware one-flower vase (ichirin-zashi), Nakajima Taku (中島卓), Seto, Japan, 20th century

This Oribe stoneware vase, shaped like a Japanese flower (ichirin-zashi), is distinguished by its ovoid shape, tapering towards a narrow, round opening designed to hold a single stem. The wall is structured by fine, regular vertical striations, worked into the stone, which are echoed by regular spirals. These motifs add depth to the surface and capture the light from the glaze.

The highly glossy Oribe enamel unfolds in olive greens and browns, with darker areas of drips and build-up towards the base. The overall effect is one of enamel thicknesses fully integrated into the contemporary Oribe aesthetic, which emphasizes texture and sculptural presence rather than painted decoration.

The underside shows clear traces of kiln supports. The piece is preserved in its original tomobako.

Nakajima Taku (born in 1945 in Seto, Aichi Prefecture) is a ceramicist trained at Seto Ceramic High School. He is active in the Mino-Seto region, where a major language of historical glazes such as Oribe developed. He has been selected several times for exhibitions of crafts in the Tōkai region and for the traditional crafts exhibition circuit. He became a member of the Japan Kōgeikai in 1987 and retired in 2011. His work was exhibited around 2000 at the Seto City Art Museum, and he is also credited with creating a black raku-style bowl for a Tōhō film production.

Dimensions

Height: approx. 23 cm
Width: approx. 15 cm