Page 96 - Catalogue of the Edward Morse collection of Japanese pottery MFA BOSTON

THE CATALOGUE
S8
522-524. Bowls. 1700-1800
The three following bowls, though differing widely from typical Tsushima, have been
identified as Tsushima, though they certainly resemble some forms of Karatsu. They all
bear an impressed mark in the form of a conventional cloud. Two specimens are known
outside this collection, — one in the British Museum and the other in the collection of the
Royal Worcester works.
525. Flaring bowl. D. s§ in. Roughly turned, sliced on one side. Fine hard fawn clay,
thick gray glaze. Basal ring notched. Right-hand spiral line on bottom. Cloud mark
impressed. Eighteenth century
526. Bowl. D. 4I in. Fine light fawn clay, fawn glaze with grayish tinge. Clouds and
crane in white Mishima. Cloud mark impressed. Eighteenth century

527. Bowl. D. s| in. Rim slightly elevated and indented in three places. Fine (SJO
dull brown clay, yellowish-fawn glaze, finely crackled and iridescent. Right-hand 526
spiral on base. Cloud mark impressed. Eighteenth century
528. Bowl. D. 4^ in. Thick walls. Fine hard clay, light gray glaze with washes of thin
white overglaze on one side. Decoration of large flowers incised and filled with dark brown,
also shaded with brush-marks of brown. This bowl, though not signed, is placed here on the
authority of others-

PROVINCE OF TOSA

The pottery of this province presents but few types, and these with rare
exceptions are unsigned. The usual form is seen in simple bowls with
decoration of bamboo, plum, and pine in pale blue, under a yellowish-white
or bluish-white glaze. Within recent years large pieces, with bluish-white
crackled glaze and elaborate carving, have been made.
SHOHAKU (Case 6 and Plate II. 530)
The records are conflicting in regard to Odo pottery. Ninagawa, in one account,
says that among the artisans brought back from Korea in 1 598 was a potter named
Shohaku, who settled in the village of Odo and made pottery, following Korean
models, and shortly after, discovering a good clay near Odo, began the making of
tea-bowls with colored enamels. Another memorandum of Ninagawa says that the
Korean's name was Butsuami, and his successor was Shohaku, who first studied with
the Korean and afterwards with Ninsei. Another expert, Mr. Tanimura, informed me
that the first Odo potter was Shohaku, who was succeeded by Saburobe, and that suc-
cessive generations were known by the latter name ; finally, the author of Toki Shoshi
definitely states that Odo pottery was established by Kuno Sh5haku, a pupil of Ninsei,
in 1653. He shortly after went to Osaka, to which place, in 1673, a potter by the
name of Morita Mitsuhisa was sent by the lord of Tosa to study under Shohaku.
Merita also visited other potteries, and returning to Odo, made tea-bowls and other