A dramatic bottle shaped vessel covered in meandering glaze over patches of raw earth and thick gray ash by Nishihata Tadashi enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Yohen Hanaire (kiln altered vase). The base is low and wide, like the Funadokuri ships bottles of ancient times. Large seashell imprints perpetuate the oceanic nostalgia. It is 28 cm (11 inches) tall, 15 cm (6 inches) diameter at the base and in excellent condition.
Nishihata Tadashi was born in Sasayama in the mountains of Hyogo, an ancient castle town and home of Tamba pottery, in 1948. He began potting in 1969, focusing on items for use. In 1986 he first entered the realm of public exhibitions with his entry into the Nihon Dento Kogeiten National Traditional Crafts Exhibition in 1986. He was awarded in 1988 at the Kinki Kogeiten regional Crafts fair. In 1989 he would see the first of many awards at the Nihon Dento Kogeiten National Traditional Crafts Exhibition as well as a first time entry into the Nihon Togeiten National Ceramics Exhibition. In 1990 he would continue garnering fame with the first of several awards at the Tanabe Art Museum Chanoyu no Zokei Ten (Modern Forms in Tea). After that his career has escalated, with many more recognitions at these Expositions. For more see the recently acquired piece by Tadashi at the Asia Pacific Art Museum in San Francisco
