Shoji Hamada (濱田庄司), Japanese, 1894-1978

A Persimmon Glazed Resist Decorated Vase (柿釉抜絵 花瓶)

Taisho Era (1912-1926) or Showa Era (1926-1989) 

About the work

This striking Mashiko ware vase by Shoji Hamada exemplifies the celebrated potter’s mastery of form, glaze, and folk craft aesthetics. The vase features a gently tapering silhouette with a subtly flared rim, decorated in Hamada’s characteristic nuki-e (resist decoration) technique beneath a rich kaki-yu (persimmon glaze). Bold abstract motifs emerge through creamy reserve lines against a dramatic surface of deep iron black, warm amber, and burnt orange tones.

The flowing glaze displays remarkable depth and variation, with natural pooling, mottling, and expressive brushwork enhancing the organic vitality of the piece. The contrast between the dark ground and luminous resist patterns reflects Hamada’s enduring engagement with traditional Japanese folk pottery and the ideals of the Mingei movement.

The vase is accompanied by a signed and authenticated wooden storage box (tomobako) inscribed by Shinsaku Hamada, son of Shoji Hamada and the second-generation head of the Hamada Kiln.

Dimensions

22.5cm(h) x 11.5cm(w)

Footnote

Shoji Hamada was a leading figure in the Mingei folk craft movement, which sought to preserve traditional craft techniques and elevate their status as high art. Born in 1894, Hamada studied under Itaya Hazan at the Tokyo Institute of Technology and learned kiln techniques at the Kyoto Ceramic Research Institute. He was a lifelong friend of Kanjiro Kawai and collaborated with Bernard Leach, with whom he worked in both Japan and England. Hamada's dedication to ceramics earned him the designation of Living National Treasure in 1955, and he received the Order of Culture in 1968, cementing his legacy as one of Japan's most revered ceramists.