Page 139 - Catalogue of the Edward Morse collection of Japanese pottery MFA BOSTON

PROVINCE OF KAGA 85

985—999- Various pieces, consisting of tea-bowls, cake-plates, deep cups, single flower-
holder, covered jar, incense-box, rest for cover, etc. 1750-1850
1000. Bowl. D. \\\ in. Fine light fawn clay, dark fawn underglaze, cream overglaze,
plum blossoms in thick white drops with stems in brown. 1850
1001. Covered bowl. D. \\ in. Light fawn clay, thick smooth cream-white glaze. 1870
This represents the ordinary form of food-bowl of the people.
1002. Cake-bowl. D. 5I in. Roughly modeled handles. Fine fawn clay, dark fawn
underglaze, fawn overglaze within and splashed without. Incised clouds and cross-lines.
• 1873

PROVINCE OF KAGA

The name of this province, like that of Satsuma, has become widely
known abroad through its faience and porcelain. The output of the Kaga
ovens in furnishing pottery for the world's demand is very great. Yet just
in proportion to the effort to fill this demand is seen a corresponding
deterioration in the work. One had only to compare the exhibit of Kaga
potters at Chicago in 1893 with a similar exhibit in Philadelphia in 1876
to realize this deterioration. There is little variation to be seen in the
pottery. One piece of the bright red and gold decorated faience of Kaga
will stand as a type for the thousands of pieces exported. The difference
between this modern stuff and the original red is very striking.
KAGA (Case 10)

1003. Tea-jar (flat). H. if in. D. 4 in. Rough brown clay, thick light brown glaze,
smooth bottom. 1680
1004. Tea-jar. H. 3! in. Two knobs on shoulder. Soft fawn clay, mottled blue and
fawn glaze, splashes of olive-brown overglaze running. Right thread-mark. L-shaped line
incised. 1680
1005. Tea-jar. H. Gray clay, mottled olive-green and gray glaze with bluish-black
3J in.
stream running. Golden-brown showing through on shoulder. 1680
1006. Tea-jar. H. 3 in. 1680

KUTANI (Case 10)
The pottery derives its name from the village in which it was first made. Pieces
in the form of tea-bowls, tea-jars, and the like were first made by Tamura Gonzayemon
in the first half of the seventeenth century. His work followed Seto models, and it is
possible that some of the tea-jars above catalogued were made by him. In 1650 Goto
Saijiro began the making of porcelain after his return from Hizen, to which place he
had gone to learn the secrets of the art. He worked with Kakiyemon, and went so
far as to marry his daughter in order the more readily to learn the mysteries of porce-