HIGHLIGHTS - By Nakazato Tarouemon XIII — son of a Living National Treasure, member of the Japan Art Academy - From a kiln with an unbroken 400-year lineage dating to 1596 - Dense, iron-black Kuro-Karatsu glaze — a technique standing apart from the workshop's better-known pale Karatsu wares - Complete with signed tomobako and artist's shiori — full documented provenance - Impressed ceramic stamp (tōin) on the kodai, unique to the workshop - Practical, gently scalloped rim with a rhythmic wave pattern around its full circumference - Excellent for age — no chips, cracks, or restoration Product Details A dense, iron-black glaze pools like still water inside this bowl, its surface shifting from matte shadow to a faint metallic sheen with every turn of the hand. The rim traces a regular, gently scalloped wave around its full circumference — a deliberate, rhythmic undulation rather than a simple circle. Where the black glaze thins near the foot, the warm, sandy clay of the Karatsu body shows through, a quiet signature of the kiln it came from. This is Kuro-Karatsu at its most direct: a single glaze, fully committed, from a workshop four centuries in the making. Artist Profile 十三代 中里太郎右衛門 — Nakazato Tarouemon XIII (1923–2009) Personal name: Tadao (忠夫). Dharma name: Hoan (逢庵). Born on 31 May 1923 in Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture, as the eldest son of the twelfth-generation Nakazato Tarouemon. His father directed him toward art education to strengthen his creative foundation, leading him to graduate from the Tokyo Higher Technical School of Arts and Crafts, Department of Industrial Design — an academic path that sharpened the compositional sensibility visible throughout his work. He received his first acceptance at the Nitten (Japan Fine Arts Exhibition) in 1951, and went on to receive the Hokuto Prize in 1956 and the Special Prize in 1965. In 1969 he succeeded to the title of Nakazato Tarouemon XIII. In 1981 he received the Prime Minister's Prize at the Nitten, followed by the Japan Art Academy Prize in 1984. He served as a Nitten board member from 1976 and as a director from 1985. In 1992 he was designated a holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property by Saga Prefecture, and in 1995 received the Karatsu City Distinguished Service Award. He was a member of the Japan Art Academy and the International Academy of Ceramics, and his work was exhibited internationally and acquired by cultural institutions abroad. Where his father, the twelfth generation, devoted his career to excavating and reviving the lost techniques of ancient Karatsu, the thirteenth generation continued that inherited language while integrating a more personal, contemporary expression. Kuro-Karatsu — Karatsu ware finished in a dense, iron-rich black glaze — represents another core current within the Nakazato workshop's revival of old Karatsu techniques, standing apart from the paler ash and feldspathic glazes more commonly associated with the ware. This hachi, with its gently irregular rim and pinched pouring lip, reflects the practical, unpretentious forms that defined everyday Karatsu ware in domestic use, forms the family has continued to produce alongside its more formal tea ceramics. The Nakazato family history begins in 1596 with the first generation, Nakazato Matashichi. During the Edo period, the family operated the official Karatsu domain kiln — the Ochawan-gama — producing pieces presented as tribute to the shogunate. The thirteenth generation represents the direct continuation of that lineage. Condition & Specifications Condition: Excellent for age. No chips, cracks, or restoration. While this is a vintage piece, it shows no visible signs of use and retains its original appearance in outstanding condition. Height: 7.7 cm / Width: 16.6 cm / Mouth diameter: 14.3 cm Weight: 482g (bowl only) / 878g (with tomobako) Shape: Scalloped-rim bowl with rhythmic wave pattern Material: Stoneware The kodai bears an impressed ceramic stamp (tōin), a small cluster of three circular marks unique to the workshop. The tomobako is inscribed "黒唐津鉢" (Kuro-Karatsu Hachi) and signed "十三代 太郎右衛門" with a red seal impression. A shiori documenting the artist's career accompanies the piece. Shipping Information: Items are shipped from Japan with tracking and insurance included. The carrier and shipping method are selected according to the destination and current international shipping conditions to ensure safe and reliable delivery. Each item is carefully packed with protective materials suitable for international transit. 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In such cases, please contact us within 3 days of receipt. Product Descriptions & Images: Every item is personally selected and described with meticulous attention to detail. We strive to represent each piece as accurately as possible through photographs and written descriptions. Please note that colors and textures may appear slightly different depending on your screen settings and lighting conditions. If you have any questions about a specific item, please feel free to contact us before placing a bid. About Our Shop: Based in Tobe Town, Ehime Prefecture — the 250-year-old birthplace of Tobe ware — our shop was founded with a singular purpose: to bring the profound art of Japanese ceramics to collectors around the world. From masterpieces crafted by renowned artisans to one-of-a-kind expressions created in hidden workshops, we sell carefully selected pieces that emphasize the quality and dignity of the work itself, rather than fame. 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