Handcrafted Japanese Sake Cup (Guinomi) by Mikio Osako
Sold – no longer available
This piece was handmade by Mikio Osako and was a one-of-a-kind work. It cannot be reordered and will never exist in this form again. The page stays online as part of our archive.
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Details about the sold piece
- Height 4 cm
- Width 8 cm
- Weight 1 g
- Color Gray
- Item Type Guinomi
- Material Ceramics
- Period of Creation Shôwa (1926–1989)
- Unique Work Yes
- Wooden Box Yes
No longer available
Description
This small sake cup dates from the Shôwa period; its restrained, iridescent glaze in gray and cream tones reveals the hand of an experienced potter. The slightly faceted body and the narrow foot give the guinomi a pleasant grip.
Guinomi are among the most popular vessels in Japanese sake culture and are traditionally thrown individually, so that each piece becomes a unique work through minimal irregularities in shape and glaze. Unlike industrially produced tableware, this cup foregrounds the trace of the hand – from the throwing on the potter's wheel to the final application of glaze.
This piece was made by Mikio Osako, whose calm, unobtrusive shaping is reflected in the balanced silhouette of the cup. It is delivered in a wooden box signed by the master potter, which protects the work and at the same time documents its provenance.
