Elon Musk is poised to become the first human in history to become a trillionaire, possibly in 2026! What if we had that kind of money and had the free cash to buy whatever our hearts desired. What if we wanted to spend that money on some cool pots. We'll leave the trees for another day. Here, I have provided 14 choices for pots that I would like to own. These 14 pots are by some of the best potters in the world. Some are very small and some are larger. Most of these are glazed pots due to the unglazed brown pots, while beautiful in their own way, do not exude the artistry as well as a glazed or painted pot. These pots came from a Japanese auction site and are "buy it now" pots. Pots that if you had the money, you could just go ahead and purchase the pot and have it in your hands in 10 days. I have provided pictures of the pots and a little something about the potters who made them, as well as the price to own that pot. So, with that said let's take a look at the pots and drool a little.
Tofukuji, Founder of Tofukuji Temple in the Heian period. Width
15cm, Height 3cm. Heian Tofukuji, real
name Mizuno Kisaburo, was born in Kyoto in 1890. He was a great pioneer in the
world of Japanese tree pots. This item was purchased in 1990 from Ota Kotoen
(previous owner, Masao Ota) in Sakai City. It has never been used and has been
carefully stored. It is in perfect condition and undamaged.
This is a representative work of Tofukuji Temple, made using
glazes that transform the distortions and blackening that have occurred over
the decades since it was made into a piece that exudes a sense of age. I also
had the opportunity to meet the second-generation owner, Isamu, in the spring
of 1993, and he was able to see this product.
$2650.00
Gekka (Gekkou Ito) Gosai landscape painting, mokko pot. Height:
approx. 4 cm Width: approx. 17 cm Depth: approx. 15 cm
This is a beautiful painted bowl. His real name is Ito
Neishun, the fourth generation of the Tankyogama kiln. He began making
blue-and-white bowls around 1969. He has received numerous awards, including
the Best Artist Award at the Meishu Exhibition, the Jusekisha Award, and the
Kindai Shuppansha Award, for his elegant blue-and-white, red-painted, and
overglaze ware. His paintings are heavily influenced by Wakusen, and he has
gradually shifted from his early, meticulous style to bolder, more compact
strokes. His use of color has also changed, and his clean brushwork is
characteristic of Tsukika Dokutoku. Since he mostly uses the carving method
without using molds, he is inevitably a prolific artist. He is considered one
of the leading contemporary small painted bowl artists in terms of both
popularity and talent.
$2727.00
Used bonsai pot by Heian Kouzan, small, approximately
10.5cm long, rectangular, with a cloud-foot design, cloisonné pattern, glaze,
box included, ornamental, in good condition.
There are 3 potters in Japan whose work is considered the
pinnacle of Japanese design and aesthetics in Bonsai pottery: Heian Tofukuji,
Tsukinowa Yusen, and Heian Kouzan; also known as the “Big Three”. Born
April 28, 1905, Heian Kouzan comes from a long line of Seto potters going back
more than 12 generations. By 1918, at the age of 13, he was already making an
income with Bonsai and pottery. By 1948, at the age of 33, he was famous. He
passed away in 1990. $1000.00
Known as Banruhei, He used to make pottery near the Tokoname
climbing kiln of Ushutouen Keishin, and even fired in the climbing kiln.
Banruhei's unique clay mixture, color, and hardness are well suited to bonsai,
making him very popular with bonsai artists. Established in 1893, awarded the
Order of the Sacred Treasure. He is also known as "Maruhei" due to
the seal on his nameplate. Size cm Outside 47.5 D34 H9.5 Inside W32.5 D19.5
$4000.00
Today we will share a pot by Gekkou Ito. His date of birth is
May 22, 1939 (Showa 14). In 1959, he began to make Sometsuke pots; Sometsuke
refers to the Japanese porcelain ware which is hand painted in under glazed
blue, generally cobalt oxide. He grew up in a ceramic art family, and made
Sometsuke, Akae (red over glaze), Gosai (five colors) pots. His works are almost all Horinuki (pot
carving) without using patterns. As for his paintings on his bonsai pots he was
influenced by Tsukinowa-Yusen. Height:
approx. 4.5 cm Width: approx. 16.5 cm Depth: approx. 14 cm
$2363.00
Toho used bonsai pots, karaho design. Small blue and white porcelain bowls, approximately 9cm Long, Rectangular, set of 12, zodiac designs, Toho's real name: Shimada Shuji won the Gold Prize in the Glaze
category at the 17th Contemporary Small Bowl Artists Exhibition, All Japan
Small Bowl Bonsai Association Chairman's Award.
$3500.00
This is a Tofukuji bonsai pot 12.4cm deep, 17.4cm wide, and
4.5cm high. Apparently, this is one of the pots from Tofukuji Temple that was
collected by a Kyoto enthusiast. The enthusiast purchased it from the first
generation and had the second generation paint a matching cloth. Later, at the
recommendation of a bonsai garden in Osaka, he prepared a special box for each
of the pots he collected, and after the enthusiast passed away, the Osaka
bonsai garden purchased the pot.
$3011.00
Introducing the "Kyomaru" rectangular bowl with a single
red outline" by popular potter Kyomaru, Width approx. 20.0 cm x Depth
approx. 17.2 cm x Height approx. 5.3 cm Artist name: Kyomaru (real name: Nakano
Minoru) Born in 1981, living in Kyoto City
While working at his main job, he studied pot making under
Takao Koyo. He does everything himself, from shaping to painting, and because
of his uncompromising attitude towards pot making, the number of pieces he has
produced is extremely small. However, his spirit of inquiry into pot making is
admirable, and his single-minded dedication to creating beautiful and practical
pieces is reflected in his work.
$3500.00
Small Sano Daisuke shinzan bonsai pot, approximately 11cm long, rectangular, with a red Hakura
design featuring a bunting bird and yellow glaze.
Daisuke was born in 1919 and died in 2000. He began painting small bowls in 1949, and his works
are varied, numerous, and unique. For more than a decade, the pots he painted
were made by Konno Shinzan, and you’ll often see collaborative works with other
members of his family: Horie Bikoh, Ichitaro, and Munakata Isso. Many of his
works are unsigned, and some unstamped by the potter, so a good eye is often
needed to recognize a Daisuke painting!
$6000.00
Used Bonsai Pot by Kazuhiro Watanabe. Ichikozoki style, approximately 17.5cm. Watanabe Kazuhiro is a contemporary Tokoname potter. Known
in the industry as “Ikkou”. Both his
glazed and unglazed pots are popular, although prices are consistent and very
reasonable for the quality. Born
November 13, 1956, the son of famous master potter Watanabe Masami of the
Syouzan Kaneshou pottery, Ikkou was trained by his father in the art of
unglazed pots which his father made exclusively. Although his family background and training
are in the making of unglazed pots, his glazed pots, techniques for which he is
completely self-taught, are wonderful. The pot posted is what we call “top
shelf” on a box stand with a pine in it.
$600.00
Bonsai pot by Daisuke Sano, small, approximately 10cm long,
glazed, round pot, used. Sano Daisuke (1919-2000) was a professional
hand-painted Yuzen artist. He was a director of the Japan Small Bonsai
Association. He began making bonsai pots around 1949. He is known for his bold
style of painting flowers and birds, landscapes, and people, and is
particularly popular in the Kanto region as Daisuke pots.
$1100.00
Used bonsai pot by Juodo, made by Shosen. Medium size,
approximately 32.5cm long, rectangular, pear skin finish.
Shosen Yamaaki pottery refers to high-quality Tokoname
bonsai pots produced by the Japanese Yamaaki kiln, founded by the esteemed
potter Akiji Kataoka (Shosen) in 1920. These pots are highly sought after by
bonsai enthusiasts and collectors. The kiln was established by Akiji Kataoka,
who used the professional potter's name "Shosen" (松泉) and was also
known as "Juuodo". He passed away in 1990.
$600.00
Sanshu Ichiyo bonsai pot. Medium size, long side approx.
21cm. Sanshu Ichiyo was born In Aichi prefecture in 1902 and passed away in
1985. His family ran a wholesale China store, and he later ran a similar
operation in Tokyo. Selling pottery, he had a unique opportunity to study
different styles and types popular around Japan at the time and eventually
began making his own. He is thoroughly self-educated.
Along with notable potters like Tofukuji and Uematsu
Tosui (another renowned pottery wholesaler come pottery designer), it is
believed that Ichiyo, along with close friend Ichikawa Taishu, were pivotal in
ushering in the age of respect for Japanese ceramicists in the 20th century.
His admirers are legion, and his apprentices include such notable notables as
Ito Gekkou, Ito Tonyo, Shiko, Tankyou, and Sugiura Keisen. $800.00
Bonsai pot, Tonyo Takahama kiln, small, approximately 14.5cm
long, rectangular pot with corners and a floating pattern, celadon, glazed,
with original box and original fabric, perfect for viewing. Brand new.
Ito Tonyo is a
respected contemporary Japanese ceramic artist known for producing
high-quality, often small-scale (shohin/mame) bonsai pots. Often featuring fine
glazes and precise, clean-lined construction, Tonyo's work includes painted,
glazed, and unglazed pieces, frequently, and sometimes, he worked in
conjunction with his renowned brother, Ito Gekkou.
$1000.00
