This celadon sake set by Ichikawa Tōru enclosed in the original signed wooden box transforms a traditional drinking ensemble into a small sculptural study of glaze, texture, and form. Comprising a katakuchi pouring vessel and a matching cup, the pair is shaped with softly faceted walls that feel gently compressed and organic, giving the impression of forms that have settled into their final shape rather than being strictly thrown or carved. A translucent green celadon glaze envelops both vessels, pooling into deeper tones within the interiors while thinning across edges and planes to reveal the clay beneath. As the glaze cooled, it developed a delicate crackle pattern that spreads across the surfaces like a network of crystalline veins, lending the pieces a quiet sense of geological depth. Irregular passages where the glaze breaks expose pale clay and milky white tones, creating subtle transitions between opacity and translucency. Across these surfaces, molten accents of gold and silver luster appear like metallic inclusions embedded within stone, catching light against the cool green field and adding warmth and visual rhythm. The katakuchi’s short spout, finished in bright gold, projects naturally from the body like a small branch, while the rims of both vessels are similarly edged in gold, framing their openings with a quiet note of refinement. Despite their sculptural irregularity, the vessels remain intimate and comfortable in the hand. The katakuchi measures approximately 13.6 × 10.6 × 10.6 cm (5-1/2 x 4-1/4 x 4-1/4 inches), while the cup measures 7 cm diameter 6.1 cm tall, together embodying Ichikawa’s characteristic approach in which spontaneous kiln transformations, precious metallic surfaces, and gently distorted forms.
Ichikawa Toru was born in Tokyo in 1973. In 2015 he established his current studio in Bizen after 4 years of apprenticeship under another Bizen Outsider, Kakurezaki Ryuichi. He has since developed quite a following, with his shows selling out often within hours.
