An incredible Chawan in absurdly thick glaze resting on a wari-kodai foot by Master o Shino Hayashi Shotaro named Ryoga (Surpassing) enclosed in the original signed double wood box titled Rikkyu Fuji-Murasaki Shino Wari Kodai Chawan (Rikkyu Purple Wysteria Shino Split Foot Tea Bowl).Inside the bowl is crazed purple tinged smooth glaze, while outside the pink tinged white glaze seems to be pealing away from the surface in thick daubs.It is 14 cm (5-1/2 inches) diameter, 11.5 cm (4-1/2 inches) tall and is in perfect condition. Thie inner box is top quality kiri-wood, the outer box coated in black lacquer.
Hayashi Shotaro (b. 1947) is one of the biggest names in contemporary Mino ceramics. Although initially entering regular employment upon graduating high school, in 1967 he returned to Toki city to help his brother Kotaro. Very quickly within him was born the urge to create. He won the highest award at the Gifu Prefectural Art Exhibition in 1968, and from there his talent blossomed. He established his own kiln in 1974. Since then his list of exhibitions and awards has been amazing, including the Nihon Dento Kogei Ten (National Traditional Arts and Crafts Exhibition), Governors Prize and five times winner of Best of Show at the Asahi Togei Ten (Asahi Ceramics Exhibition), and Best of Show at Gifu Prefectural Exhibition. At the Mino Ceramics Exhibition, in addition to the highest award, the Mino Ceramics Award, he has received all three major awards, including the Shoroku Award and the Kobei Award.
