Every facet of this vessel by Imai Rikei presents a different façade. Fired on its side ash has built up where the flame has charred one corner, and run around in a single tear drop forming a glass bead opposite.It comes enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Shizen-yu Henko. The vessel measures 17 x 14.5 x 20.5 cm (7 x 5-3/4 x 8 inches) and and is in excellent condition.
Imai Rikei was born in Aomori Prefecture in 1947, and fires in the Ujoykai traditional manner making use of the world’s longest climbing kiln (Guinness book of world records, 103 meters long, you can see it on youtube). He has received a number of awards and exhibited with the Asahi Ceramics Exhibition (Asahi Togeiten) among others. He is the most important artist in this lesser known Northern tradition of Japanese pottery.
