Ceramic - Ito Seisuki V - Japan - 21st century

A rare and complete sake set in Mumyoi-yaki ceramic, crafted by the expert hand of Ito Sekisui V, recognized in 2003 as a Living National Treasure of Japan. A work that unites the legendary history of Sado Island with a superb artistic sensibility.
The Mumyoi-yaki ceramic is famed for using the rare Mumyoi clay, rich in iron oxides, personally collected by the Master at the historic gold mines of Sado Island. In firing, this raw material gives the ceramic a distinctive dense reddish-brown, warm, and metallic tone.
Each of the five cups features a different shape from the others, offering a tactile and visual experience that is always different with each use. All components are finely hand-painted with delicate plum blossom motifs, a symbol of rebirth, elegance, and tenacity in Japanese culture.
The set is in immaculate, original condition, preserved to this day exclusively by private collection.
Paulownia wooden box bearing the master’s autograph seal and traditional silk cloths for protecting the ceramics, also marked with the artist’s original seal.
Illustrative document containing the artist’s profile, biography, and notes on production.
The combination of the raw material mined in the Sado gold mines, the formal variety of the pieces, the completeness of all accompanying documents, and Ito Sekisui V’s status as a Living National Treasure make this set an item of extraordinary rarity and an exceptional artistic example.